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A city root canal

Dealing with Qualicum Beach staff can be a chore and a half

The case of the development permit for the site of the Parksville Beach Resort once again shows what ails politics in this country, from the municipal all the way to the federal level. Opposing for the sake of opposition, without offering any real solutions.

It is usually government that will use rules and regulations to block or promote whatever suits their agenda. Well, the tables have been turned. Note the hand-wringing reluctance and opposition of Parksville city council when confronted with a development proposal that in every single aspect meets or exceeds the guidelines established by the city of Parksville itself. What a sad and embarrassing performance by elected and well paid officials who don’t even bother to read up on their own city’s rule book.

Comments made by commercial developers to me over the years have convinced me that many would prefer to enjoy a root canal while simultaneously having a prostate exam, over having to deal with Parksville city hall. To wit, observe the blazing pace of development in the Parksville Industrial Park, which still to a good part consists of weed infested empty lots.

I wholeheartedly applaud Bernie Walsh for the intestinal fortitude to see this process through a whole decade. I do not personally know Mr. Walsh but can not help but admire the way he kept this development from being railroaded by municipal inertia and incompetence. May this very nice looking project be a prosperous one for him and his partners — it will certainly enrich downtown Parksville, no thanks to past and present city council.

Harold Grindl

 

Nanoose Bay