Dear Editor:
Reluctantly I have decided to enter into the proposed remand centre debate and express my views on why we should get behind this proposal and fully support it in whatever way we can. But first I would like to back up this decision with a short recent historical summary about our community.
In the late 1980s and throughout the 90s, our community embarked on a building program that set the stage for demographic change that may never right itself to a more normal or average age distribution.
The builders and planners of the time recognized a need for adult accommodation for recent retirees and we began a building boom of the new thing of the future called condos. We started building along Victoria Road North and Quinpool Road down to Garnet Avenue.
Then we moved over to Angus Street and Richards Avenue. Most of these were built by local entrepreneurs and builders. This became such a good thing we even attracted a few out of town developers for Linden Estates, La Casita, and La Vista (for the up market folks) and some phases of Silver Birch.
The common thread among all of these great developments was adult only or over 45 or in some cases 55. Remember the squabbles over the “age limitations and rights” issues.
During these years, to my knowledge, there was less than a handful of family units built, mostly over on Hespeler and Prairie Valley Road. Also during this time most of the single family home developments were at Deer Ridge and Newton/Harris Road area. (many also occupied by retirees.)
The bottom line is: we basically built adult only accommodation in Summerland.
Now it is 25 years down the track and most of these folks who filled these units are now in there 80`s or more and there is a new batch of “plus 55s” coming along. Either by accident or design we have built an adult only population that has changed our community for ever.
The reason our down town is struggling is old folks don’t need stuff.
We are trying to get rid of stuff. Why do you see so many garage sales every Saturday?
We have traded in our motorcycles for mobility scooters, our hiking boots for walkers, and our Speedos for Depends (you get the idea.)
We have no sporting goods outlet, no toy store, no mens store but we have three drug stores. That’s what demographic change is all about. Our local retailers have recognized a need and responded.
Later, I will suggest some ideas on how we can turn this trend around and hopefully stimulate our economy in the future.
Don Hudgeon
Summerland
