Sustainable means forever
Smart cancer in Salmon Arm
Dear Sirs:
I welcomed the announcement of the multi-evening public meeting regarding the proposed development at the mouth of the Salmon River. I work every Monday evening, and thus looked forward to attending the Tuesday evening session. The recent clarification that the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions may not be held prompts me to submit my comments in writing, given that I may not have any other opportunity to do so.
The so-called “Smart” Centre development violates every principle of sustainability and of environmental protection. Time and time again, in community after community, all the reasons cited in support of such developments have proven themselves to be unfounded, and all the reasons cited in opposition to such developments have proven themselves to be true. Yet big business dupes us into believing that we somehow need these developments, and they pop up all over the North American landscape, destroying communities as they go. "Smart" centres are really smart cancers.
Salmon Arm Council has sent a de facto message of support to the developers by not rejecting this destructive proposal outright at first reading. In doing so, Salmon Arm Council has sent a message to the community that profits for big business are more important that support for local business, and more important than the well-being of the members of this community, and more important than protecting our environment and preserving our natural heritage.
Salmon Arm Council is travelling the well-worn path of other councils – a path that has led elsewhere to the dismantling of any sense of community, and to the destruction of local business.
The fact that Salmon Arm Council continues along this path despite all the warnings is, in my opinion, an indication that council members have been corrupted – not by money, but by an ideology that arrogantly says “we somehow know better than everyone else,” and “big business is more important than the environment, small people, and small communities.” The fact that Salmon Arm Council continues along this path is shameful.
The only unanswered question is this: When will Salmon Arm Council take down the signs welcoming people to Salmon Arm and replace them with the signs that say “Welcome to Kelowna?”
Most sincerely,
Rick Shea
I welcomed the announcement of the multi-evening public meeting regarding the proposed development at the mouth of the Salmon River. I work every Monday evening, and thus looked forward to attending the Tuesday evening session. The recent clarification that the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions may not be held prompts me to submit my comments in writing, given that I may not have any other opportunity to do so.
The so-called “Smart” Centre development violates every principle of sustainability and of environmental protection. Time and time again, in community after community, all the reasons cited in support of such developments have proven themselves to be unfounded, and all the reasons cited in opposition to such developments have proven themselves to be true. Yet big business dupes us into believing that we somehow need these developments, and they pop up all over the North American landscape, destroying communities as they go. "Smart" centres are really smart cancers.
Salmon Arm Council has sent a de facto message of support to the developers by not rejecting this destructive proposal outright at first reading. In doing so, Salmon Arm Council has sent a message to the community that profits for big business are more important that support for local business, and more important than the well-being of the members of this community, and more important than protecting our environment and preserving our natural heritage.
Salmon Arm Council is travelling the well-worn path of other councils – a path that has led elsewhere to the dismantling of any sense of community, and to the destruction of local business.
The fact that Salmon Arm Council continues along this path despite all the warnings is, in my opinion, an indication that council members have been corrupted – not by money, but by an ideology that arrogantly says “we somehow know better than everyone else,” and “big business is more important than the environment, small people, and small communities.” The fact that Salmon Arm Council continues along this path is shameful.
The only unanswered question is this: When will Salmon Arm Council take down the signs welcoming people to Salmon Arm and replace them with the signs that say “Welcome to Kelowna?”
Most sincerely,
Rick Shea
Add a Comment
About
© 2009 Created by Rick Shea on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of Sustainable Salmon Arm to add comments!
Join this social network