Editor:
I attended the George Hotel open house on Thursday, Sept. 24 at Elphinstone school. I went seeking information about the project from the developer and what zoning bylaw amendments were being requested. While trying to absorb the information on the many large displays in the room, I was approached by someone whom I thought was a blue T-shirted representative. It soon became obvious that this person was there to lobby me with their own anti-George agenda.
I have no problem with getting both sides of an issue and making up my mind based on the facts. I found it inappropriate and disrespectful, however, for the anti-development paparazzi to interrupt my review and attempt to hijack my information gathering, while thrusting their own literature into my hands.
As I looked around the room I saw there were several more blue T-shirts attempting to engage other citizens. If this blue uniformed gang wants to disseminate their own propaganda about the project, I recommend they hold their own open house. Ambush tactics tend to have the opposite effect on even the most open-minded people.
The Blue Shirts might have had critically important information about the project, but the method chosen to deliver it was, in my opinion, ill advised and repugnant. I left the open house much better informed about the project and repelled by the tactics of their opponents.
I returned home and burned all my blue T-shirts.
William Baker, Gibsons
