Dear editor,
The “Hanging Gardens” mega condo project seems to be somewhat premature in its enthusiasm.
Perhaps it needs to be “hung out to dry” and allowed to improve with age, say something like 20 years from now.
The developers have attempted to present this high-density package in various forms beginning with the Jackson Drive redevelopment proposals back in February of 2006.
The residents in the area were opposed to the high-density development then and have remained opposed to high-density development this far out of town ever since then.
Fantastic proposals require the additional support of the residents in the area, which will be directly affected by any such proposals. A newspaper article does not even mention the concerns and expressed will of the residents regarding this or other proposals.
The City of Courtenay assisted the local residents in stopping the proposal by Ocean Estates Development because of the above stated reasons and there was no mention of their position when this was being discussed for the pleasure of the developers. New partners, same game.
Should the request to become part of the City of Courtenay be approved or not, the people will still need to be heard regarding both of these proposals.
There has never been an appetite by the residents to have their rural neighbourhood transformed into a high-density urban environment. I do not believe anyone in the area has changed their position since then.
Leonard D. Aylward,
Area B
