Cumberland BC: The Cumberlander Articles Section
Local · 8th March 2007
Terry
Dear John,
I just wanted to say that I like your ideas. I appreciate all the work you've done to present them to us. I really liked the drawings, especially the ones of the high-density village without the cars, even though the parking thing worried me. I think your plan is an excellent one. I would love to see more of your "lifestyle centres" in those horrible strip malls in Vancouver, or any other city in North America. You have developed very attractive commercial space where people can go and enjoy their busy lives -- even relax a little, and I applaud the green orientation, the footpaths, bicycle trails, buffers, greenspaces, etc. I have been very happy with similar developments that have appeared in some of my favorite neighborhoods of Victoria. They encourage a quality of life that has been threatened by thoughtless and rampant "progress", and I feel you are one of those visionaries trying to make cities nicer places to live. But I am afraid to tell you that we don't need you here.
We Cumberlanders, the folks who live here already, are here because we like our little village. The old timers, the ones who were born and raised here, say they would love to see Cumberland come back to the heydays when business was booming and the infrastructure functioned well. They like your ideas too, and some of them think you will help Cumberland return to prosperity. Some say we need you because of the carrot you are dangling before our eyes: the upgraded infrastructure. We do need the upgrade, but surely we can come up with some creative ideas of our own. Cumberland is experiencing a renaissance in its own way, with no empty storefronts on mainstreet, and more and more people coming here for art, antiques and entertainment. Some of this creativity could be used in coming up with different solutions. We saved the forest through community effort, and if we are really careful with the commercial development we have allowed for in our OCP, maybe we could do it on our own. The little village that could.
I don't think people realize what thousands of new residents will mean to the cute little village they know and love. Sheer numbers will change everything; more traffic, more disparity between the rich and poor, less peace and quiet... We really don't need a lifestyle centre. We have a life, and, although it may not be the style currently being marketed, it is real and suits us. We don't need a Starbucks; we have the Grind and Tarbell's. We don't need a 12 story casino (12 stories!!!! Even Victoria doesn't have buildings that tall!), we have enough gambling with 649,Scratch and Win, and bingo. We don't need a spa or a gym, we already have a perfectly good rec centre, and some of the best bicycle trails and ski hills around. We really don't need more shopping. More parking. More noise. More pollution. We already have Courtenay and Comox to shop at, just a 10 minute drive.
No, we don't need Trilogy. You need it. It's not that it's a bad idea. It's just not right for Cumberland. No offense. It's not that you are a bad person. Stop by for a coffee on your way through, and let us know all the news. Good luck. Terry
I just wanted to say that I like your ideas. I appreciate all the work you've done to present them to us. I really liked the drawings, especially the ones of the high-density village without the cars, even though the parking thing worried me. I think your plan is an excellent one. I would love to see more of your "lifestyle centres" in those horrible strip malls in Vancouver, or any other city in North America. You have developed very attractive commercial space where people can go and enjoy their busy lives -- even relax a little, and I applaud the green orientation, the footpaths, bicycle trails, buffers, greenspaces, etc. I have been very happy with similar developments that have appeared in some of my favorite neighborhoods of Victoria. They encourage a quality of life that has been threatened by thoughtless and rampant "progress", and I feel you are one of those visionaries trying to make cities nicer places to live. But I am afraid to tell you that we don't need you here.
We Cumberlanders, the folks who live here already, are here because we like our little village. The old timers, the ones who were born and raised here, say they would love to see Cumberland come back to the heydays when business was booming and the infrastructure functioned well. They like your ideas too, and some of them think you will help Cumberland return to prosperity. Some say we need you because of the carrot you are dangling before our eyes: the upgraded infrastructure. We do need the upgrade, but surely we can come up with some creative ideas of our own. Cumberland is experiencing a renaissance in its own way, with no empty storefronts on mainstreet, and more and more people coming here for art, antiques and entertainment. Some of this creativity could be used in coming up with different solutions. We saved the forest through community effort, and if we are really careful with the commercial development we have allowed for in our OCP, maybe we could do it on our own. The little village that could.
I don't think people realize what thousands of new residents will mean to the cute little village they know and love. Sheer numbers will change everything; more traffic, more disparity between the rich and poor, less peace and quiet... We really don't need a lifestyle centre. We have a life, and, although it may not be the style currently being marketed, it is real and suits us. We don't need a Starbucks; we have the Grind and Tarbell's. We don't need a 12 story casino (12 stories!!!! Even Victoria doesn't have buildings that tall!), we have enough gambling with 649,Scratch and Win, and bingo. We don't need a spa or a gym, we already have a perfectly good rec centre, and some of the best bicycle trails and ski hills around. We really don't need more shopping. More parking. More noise. More pollution. We already have Courtenay and Comox to shop at, just a 10 minute drive.
No, we don't need Trilogy. You need it. It's not that it's a bad idea. It's just not right for Cumberland. No offense. It's not that you are a bad person. Stop by for a coffee on your way through, and let us know all the news. Good luck. Terry
It Ain't Much But we call it Home
Comment by Joanna on 17th March 2007
Great letter Terry.
I concur. I wonder what John Evans will say to this. Really it's our council that needs to hear what we've been saying. I guess they still have their fingers in their ears. More is not better, dear misguided councillors and mayor.
Great letter Terry.
I concur. I wonder what John Evans will say to this. Really it's our council that needs to hear what we've been saying. I guess they still have their fingers in their ears. More is not better, dear misguided councillors and mayor.
It Ain't Much But We Call It Home
Comment by Lori on 9th March 2007
Hear! Hear!
Hear! Hear!