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LETTER: Environmental risks must be considered

Can we find a safer property in Summerland where we will still reap the economic benefits?
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Dear Editor:

Before the last municipal election, land issues in Summerland created controversy.

Many residents seemed to vote based on environmental stewardship values.

Now another controversy around land use has appeared. So how is council reacting?

A staff position with one of their responsibilities being to “promote environmental stewardship within the community” leads one to believe that the environment has finally become a serious priority in the decision making process in Summerland. But is it?

We now see several of our municipal representatives and municipal staff appearing to endorse this giant condo development not paying much heed to several possible environmental risks. What are we to think?

A condo development, such as the Banks Crescent project, is a good economic idea. Putting it in an isolated bowl where the aquifer is at risk is not a good idea.

Vancouver is presently disposing of two million litres of water a day due to a puncture in the aquifer in a trendy Vancouver neighbourhood.

This is after spending $11 million to deal with it initially.

Can we afford to take a chance? Could we possibly find a safer property to build on where we will still reap the economic benefits?

Unfortunately, it may have to be a different project.

Four years ago we elected a municipal government that we thought valued our unique yet fragile environment. What has happened?

Paul Barber and Charlotte Burley

Summerland