News Leader News
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- July 4, 2006
Mayor and Council;
Subject: Main Street
Dear elected members of Council; Prior to retiring and moving to the Princeton area, I had many enjoyable moments over 30 years driving by or motorcycling through and stopping for refreshments, shopping etc. I also had the pleasure of stopping over at local motels including the Princeton Castle Resort. I found the area enchanting and the Town a beautiful place to enjoy.
The Main Street was anchored by the Cenotaph at one end and by the Hotel/Brown Bridge at the other. The facelifting executed by the municipality in the '90s added to the charm.
Since coming to the area, I have watched with grief the rapid deterioration of this street from the Brown Bridge end. Unless action is taken soon, this will spread on throughout the entire Town. I commend those who are fighting against this blemish by beautifying their properties and businesses but I am sure that businesses at that end of the street are suffering just from the "turn off" one gets from the remaining eyesores. These include the shutdown garage, the grocery store, the haberdashery, and of course, the burned out hulk of our historic hotel.
I urge Council to take action soon by advising the owners of these businesses or buildings to please provide a simple paint job to their buildings and abide by existing town by-laws. Perhaps a simple colour photograph of their buildings should be sent along for those owners living out of town. It may shame them into action.
As for the hotel "mess" I strongly urge Council to take action immediately by insisting that a fence be erected immediately to hide it and prevent any potential accident from happening there. It may be that the owner is still waiting for a settlement from his insurance etc.
If it is in the hands of insurance, then a strong letter to this company together with accompanying photos and threat of liability should force them into action.
I have discussed this with some citizens and some businesses and I have found that after the initial shock of noticing the deterioration, we all tend to get complacent about it and go on to our daily chores. Are we seeing the beginning of a trend, to become a complacent eyesore? Let's take some action before we create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
John Akerley
To The Editor;
I would like to commend one of your local Real Estate people for what I have seen as providing excellent service.
I spent two days in the Princeton area earlier in June looking for a retirement property. I am originally from southern Ontario, although presently working in Nunavut, in the far north.
The agent that I dealt with was Dean Stinson.
Dean went "beyond the call of duty" in the time that he spent with me. Not only was he very knowledgeable about the community, he went out of his way to try to help me to locate a property that would fit my needs. In the process, we had interesting conversations in the political realm.
I should comment that I am a strong NDP supporter and he obviously is not.
Despite these differences, Dean Stinson was a consummate professional and I wish to thank him for the time and energy that he put forward for me.
Richard Harrington
Kugluktuk, Nunavut
To The Editor;
In response to the front page News Leader article on June 27th. 2006, I found it deplorable that Mayor McLean and Councillor Jim Manion asked to have their negative votes recorded on the motion of a policy being put in place regarding any rezoning and redevelopment of Mobile Home Parks.
So those two voiced their opinion that the adoption of the newly drafted Policy would discourage any Investors and limit any future plans for the redevelopment to a Multi-level Housing Project putting many people into a financial bind where they would be forced to move their modest homes or even lose them because of lack of Parks that will allow older or used Manufactured Homes is an unconscionable attitude.
The Policy being debated would provide for some meagre compensation to the Park Tenants with special consideration for owners whose homes can't be moved and consequently would have to be disposed of on site.
I thank God that there was a genuine concern for the Mobile Home Owners by Councillors, Jarvis, Jones and Sadegur who approved the Policy that would be more beneficial and tangible than the guide lines offered in the Provincial Legislation of the Manufactured Home Owners Tenancy Act.
As the secretary for the Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Fraser Valley Manufactured Home Owners Association, prior to being forced to move our home to Princeton from a Park in Sardis 13 years ago, I documented many cases for Moe Sihota, the Minister for Consumers Affairs.
Having devoted over a year of my time and effort to have the Provincial Government draft a separate Tenancy Act for Manufactured Home Owners, I was aware that the Legislation would not benefit me, but I was very conscious of the suffering of the hundreds of M.H. Owners and did all that I possibly could do to alleviate their financial losses for the future.
We found from experience how difficult it was to get relocated. It cost us $15,000.00 to move our 1,800 sq. ft. home and get it set up again. Being retired made it easier for us than for those who had jobs and children, etc.
Even after the new Tenancy Act came into force, many home owners were not compensated by the Park Owners or Developers and were unsuccessful in collecting after getting a judgement in their favour in the Small claims Court.
By sharing my views on this subject I pray that the Princeton Council will all be more sympathetic to the Manufactured Home Owners in the event that the new Princeton Council Policy has to be enforced.
- Kay Hardy, Princeton
