I take exception to the comments made by Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund as quoted in the March 4 Morning Star, “That doesn’t mean it (Tim Hortons) won’t be busy for the first three or four weeks but I do not think it will affect traffic.”
How much does a Tim Hortons franchise cost? Does Mr. Mund really believe that the franchise owner (Dan Currie) will be able to make his earnings from motorists already going through the neighbourhood? Of course not, that’s pandering and quite frankly dangerous talk. Mr. Currie will require thousands of customers each year to justify the cost of constructing and owning a Tim Hortons at any location.
I cannot believe that Mr. Mund gave any more than a cursory thought to his statement. I’m sure there are statistics available to show how much traffic/customers are required to make a Tim Hortons viable. Mr. Currie would have had to do a proper study of this phenomenon before applying to build this particular outlet as part of his business plan.
We have had two children attend Beairsto school since moving to the Okanagan Valley in 1992. One attended in 1992/93 and the other from 2010 to 2103.
The traffic situation is deplorable. We would often park blocks away and walk to the school to pick up our child. Crossing either 27th Street or 35th Avenue is tricky at best — hold your child’s hand and swivel your head constantly.
I can’t imagine what that area will be like with a gas station and Tim Hortons.
Bob Wiles Chitty
Enderby
