A few weeks ago we broke the story of a proposal for a massive dock and two breakwaters in Middlepoint when the item came forward to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD).
Directors were taken aback at the size and scope of the project and their overall displeasure was noted in their comments sent back to the provincial government.
A few days later we found out that the project applicants were Lululemon founder Dennis (Chip) Wilson and his wife Shannon who own a multi-million dollar home on the Sunshine Coast near this proposal. That little information nugget set off a fire storm of commentary on Sunshine Coast blogs and Facebook pages, with almost every comment negative towards the idea of the project and its grandiose nature, as well as a lot of negative jabs at Mr. Wilson.
A spokesperson for Wilson told a Vancouver newspaper that Wilson didn’t want to comment while the application process was moving along.
That rationale doesn’t make too much sense to us, and we doubt it will sit too well with Wilson’s neighbours or anyone else who may be affected if this project is ever approved.
Case in point: a letter from a concerned resident in Halfmoon Bay this week that feels a precedent will be set if this proposal is approved (see page 9). Can he then create a new dock and a breakwater near his waterfront home? Why not, if Chip Wilson can, he asks. All valid comments and questions — and we wish we had some answers to those questions and many others, but we don’t.
We reached out to Wilson for comment in the hope that he would shed some light on the project. Maybe put a few concerns to rest, maybe explain why he is proposing the project, how he will address environmental concerns and such — sadly, no dice.
But possibly hope is not all lost.
We learned this week that the original application that went before the SCRD is now coming back because of a paperwork mishap. So does that open the door now for Wilson to comment? And if he won’t talk to us, how about attending an SCRD meeting and laying all his cards on the table? Doing that may go a long way, at the very least, to address the concerns that are out there.
The ball is in your court, Mr. Wilson. How are you going to respond?
