Editor:
I am appalled at the unthinking attitudes of the local press to what appears to have been a stacked meeting with regard to the proposed George Hotel.
It seems that everyone was blind-sided by the blatant use of "invited participants" to the presentation. It has been indicated to me that people who were known to be positive to the plan were specially invited, whereas some who were opposed got no such calls. I do not know whether it was the planners of the project or other interested persons who called, but regardless, this definitely changes the perspective of how much support there is for it.
So the love-in succeeded effectively and uncritically and seems to have used the old clichés of "see how much good this will do for the community" to ignore other factors. Even the view shown of the project is from the water - not from the Town.
Gibsons has a character, a history and a life that this plan ignores (and adding the name George to the project doesn't work). The size of this project dominates the beautifully low-key, old-time nature of Gibsons that has been the attraction to visitors and new residents for ages.
I understand the thought that has gone into this project and a lot of the well-designed features, but it is at least two storeys too tall. We are not downtown Seattle, Vancouver or any other metropolitan waterfront city - and we never will be. To accept this over-sized building into our downtown is a travesty of business imposing their needs over community and will only lead to competing projects all wanting to be taller.
Modern and progressive does not mean ignoring social, cultural, aesthetic and historical needs.
David Short, Gibsons
