Enough of the political fear mongering about growth.
The political game has proven to be easier to win if you paint your opposition as someone out to destroy a community that we all love.
In fact, you can run your campaign bashing the other guy and lying about them and not even tell voters how you are going to add value yourself.
We all move to Qualicum Beach because we have chosen to live in a small town — one with ambiance, character and until a few years ago, lots of positive energy.
Now of course, as a result of fear mongering, we are told by local media that we are a community divided into pro and anti development. I believe that has never been the case and is not the case now.
Some people in town worry about the long term future of this community if we do not manage growth. These are the ones who have been labelled pro-development — The ones Frank Horner (The News, Aug. 26) tells us want to create a mini-Nanaimo.
These are the folks who created the Qualicum Beach we have today.
We still have vacant properties that owners can build on. What goes on them and the ones that are redeveloped to meet current and future needs is all part of managed growth.
We have to be able to adapt as a community if we want to regain our vibrancy, have a sustainable economic base and be more than Pleasantville, an oasis for rich seniors where you can’t even put up garage sale signs.
We have many decisions to make as a community in the future and it will be important that community dialogue and real listening on the part of elected officials is at the forefront as we work to solve community problems such as KSS, loss of tourism properties, housing for aging seniors and more.
I want to live in a ‘real’ small town that includes families and a cross section of ages and incomes. That was the community we thought we moved to 12 years ago vs. a gated seniors complex that we run the risk of becoming — one where getting re-elected is more important than acknowledging we have challenges to work on.
Wendy Maurer
Qualicum Beach