Editor,
As a relatively recent newcomer to Revelstoke (nine years), I would like to comment on the shopping centre proposal.
One of the attractions to me of Revelstoke as a small community was its intact, vibrant old downtown with a variety of small independent merchants and businesses.
I come from southern Ontario where there are many older small communities. I have witnessed repeatedly in the past half century the gradual deterioration of the old downtowns and hearts of the communities by the allure of shopping malls on the outskirts of the communities.
Rather than enhance the vibrancy of the local communities, these peripheral developments have strangled the heart and character of the older communities. The downtowns wither and die and the town becomes another “cookie cutter’ community with franchised non locally owned and operated enterprises circling the communities.
In the future, as Revelstoke moves toward more of a resort community, the uniqueness, quaintness and vibrancy of our downtown is an essential feature to be maintained to distinguish us from the many other resort communities which lack our heritage.
Please don’t be seduced by the allure of new, quick cheaper shopping at the expense of what we have. I believe a development as proposed, would jeopardize what so many of us cherish and love about our community.
Sincerely,
Robin Brooks-Hill
Revelstoke
