To the editor:
Reading the letter Don’t Beat Down a Visionary Project, by former Kelowna mayoral candidate Cal Condy, I conjured up some thoughts.
First, I take great exception to his statement that the Kettle Valley mountainside is a “fire devastated, uninhabitable mountain eyesore.” I happen to live in the Kettle Valley neighbourhood, and have enjoyed watching nature take her course and provide new growth. That is what forests do. What gives Condy the idea that, after a forest fire, “something” must be done? It is not as if this is a burned out block in the middle of a downtown. To me, and this is only my opinion, the Consiglio structures on the mountain are the real eyesore.
Secondly, Condy seems to ignore the many problems, previously reported in the Capital News and other media, with the development project and the investment scheme. If my memory serves me correctly, Consiglio has ignored the many permit requirements and in fact been quite recalcitrant regarding any efforts of the regional district to resolve the issues. Perhaps he is of the belief that ‘it is easier to beg forgiveness, than ask permission.’
His investment scheme is reported to be so fraught with problems that the government stepped in to protect those who had put good money into the ‘Mountain.’
And finally, Cal Condy makes one comment with which I strongly agree: “…guys like this Consiglio character don’t come along every day.”
As a resident of Kelowna, and of Kettle Valley, I can say we certainly don’t need more “developers” that don’t go by the rules. It is a good thing more of these characters don’t come along.
Cal Condy stated he was “a distant third in the last civic mayoral elections.” One really should have concerns about a person who aspires to an elected public office, when the person doesn’t feel that a developer must be held accountable for following the procedures established to ensure that development projects are undertaken in a proper, orderly and legal manner.
Bob Sherman, Kelowna
