Coast Views

Dear MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF GIBSONS:

It is patently obvious that this council and you our mayor, only represent one side of the community.  Those with a different idea – a bigger idea, a self sustaining idea, an idea that would make us the envy of all, have been told to be quiet, and not always that nicely.  While we were speaking we could watch your complete disinterest and dismissal.

We have been told there will be opportunities for us to present our ideas and visions.  It sounds as if, with the whole process well underway, this will be our only opportunity.  It seems that all we have stood firm for over the years is being ignored.  The OCP “tweaking”,  with an executive  committee that has been ignored, OCPizza parties which were a travesty.  The format, incredibly time consuming and convoluted, did not allow for true expression.  What you want and what we need are so different.

In the words of Gerry Tretick you have 'moved forward' with a plan that might have made sense 25 years ago when the lots of people believed that 'development' was progress, and that the whole planet was ours for the taking.  You may not have had the time, interest or will to see that climate change is not the 'new normal', it is feedback for the way we are treating the planet.  It speaks in super storms, rising tides, melting ice caps, earthquakes, sink holes, land slides, forest fires that threaten our communities, drought in the rain forest, floods where there have never been floods, crops wiped out, cattle starving.  

We have done this!  With our wanton use of water, air and land.  We are pooping in our own soup – increasing our carbon footprint. You, as our council,  do not see the important role we have to play.

I am not concerned about the George.  It is a lost leader; setting the stage for lots of large buildings, condos with absentee owners.  Are  we just Harrison Hot Springs wannabes?  If  we had the space we could be Dubai wannabes where the residents do not even have water while the wealthy cavort across the Bay. Nowhere in anything that you have presented to  us is your real plan. 

As one example, in my recent conversation with Manny about the marina, he kept repeating that it was the province that gave permission for Klaus to mortgage it and proceed with his plans to expand it, including dredging in the inner harbour.  He finally acknowledged that if the town had not been in favour of the plan the province would not have agreed.  The province just rubber stamped council's request. 

What happened to transparency?  Even your supporters can't figure out what you are up to. The most recent council meeting was the first time I heard any mention of 'what if......the George does not live up to its advance press.  What if it becomes time shares or condos or whatever your mind fills in the blank.  It seems that this eventuality had not entered your minds til recently.

We have been blessed with our unique, beautiful setting, our fabulous water, our proximity to the mountains, woods and ocean, our life sustaining pace, our peace, quiet,  feeling of community.

We have a jewel, a unique and precious environment.  How can you ignore this and those who know that we could be The Little Community that could....

• Be the envy of all the planet
• Be stewards of sustaining life in our earth, ocean, streams, and air
• Be the most livable
• Have the best water
• Be creating our own power
• Ban plastic water bottles
• Really take responsibility for our garbage and waste – no spreading of our poop sludge in the woods
• Ban  incineration – including burning our green waste.  It could be chipped and returned to the woods.
• Attract jobs people could be proud of rather than be ashamed to tell people what they do.
• Support   more food self sufficient – allowing our gardeners and farmers to water instead of inviting the wealthy to squander it.
• Stop listening to engineers with their “can do” attitude allowing us to blast through mountains, cut down the trees in our water sheds, think chlorine will do the job, capping pure water sources dredging or draining lakes..
• Ban clear cutting on the peninsula – or anywhere for that matter.  We even allow it within town limits.
• Stop healthy tree cutting.  We need every one of our hard working trees.  They perform 24/7, no holidays.

There is no end to what is available for a community of our size to accomplish.

Jobs using the skills of those working the tar sands could be used more effectively in creating sustainable ways of living on the planet rather than destroying it. We don't know about these as our federal government has created the story that what they are doing is saving Canada's 'economy' where really they are destroying, polluting areas the size of Texas, and -subsidizing the extraction to the detriment of life in every respect – health, education, well-being, internal energy, feeling of responsibility for self, willingly sacrificing our 'true north strong and free', pristine forests, wild life and the people of Canada.  We are told we are leaders in the world,  NOT SO.

I did not come here thinking that Gibsons should change so I could earn a living.  I came here because Gibsons in its natural setting fed my soul and provided for my evolution. How many of us have been nurtured by our proximity to nature, our warm and welcoming, safe community?  My daughter does not need Gibsons to change so she can have a job.  She needs a safe place to provide for her children as she was provided for.

You have put us on the road to destruction.  Your methods have torn our wonderful community apart leaving it bleeding, full of nastiness, and hate.  NO to your zoning.  NO to your plans.  NO to your methods.

Yours in community, in health, in respect.

S Wrightman

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