As a citizen of Mission who spent time giving input at community consultations on the revitalization of our downtown, I’m concerned that our new council has apparently abandoned the plan that resulted from those many hours of discussion, not to speak of staff and consultant time and cost.
In my opinion, the plan was thorough and promising, particularly the municipality’s purchase of a downtown building, the Welton Plaza, pedestrian links and new streetscaping.
After years of local government neglect of downtown, it looked like a council had at last recognized how important a vital downtown was to Mission.
Although I didn’t agree with many of the actions taken by this last council, it did put its money where its mouth was and moved decisively ahead with the downtown plan. Now I’m wondering what has happened.
Is there anything left of the original plan; if so, what is it? Council needs to clarify where it stands on the downtown plan.
Making our downtown a key shopping destination and a welcoming public space is the responsibility of us all. We need to patronize the many excellent shops, services and restaurants.
We need to park where parking is available and walk to our destination (downtown is only three blocks long). We need to speak to our councillors and mayor about implementing the downtown plan. Instead of waiting for “something to happen,” we need to make it happen by going downtown.
Let’s get on with it. Let’s do it.
Susan Truman
Mission
