Editor,
The following is my letter of support for the Squamish Oceanfront sub area plan ["Oceanfront plans take tangible step," The Chief, Nov. 5].
I am a local business owner with a two-and-a-half year old business, which I run in partnership with another Squamish resident.
We are part of the new and growing demographic that is Squamish today. I moved here eight years ago with the view of Squamish being a community we could live, work, play and raise our family in.
Both my husband and myself view the Oceanfront development as an exciting opportunity for Squamish and one which I know myself and many others cannot wait to see begin.
The long term plan provides so much for Squamish with community amenities, residential opportunities and further business opportunities for many people.
As a childcare provider, it would give us the opportunity to expand our business into the downtown Oceanfront and provide further, much needed childcare services.
We currently provide childcare in a purpose-built facility for close to 70 families. The opportunities currently to replicate or expand this business model are limited - opening up land for development in a community like the Oceanfront development would give us further opportunity to create space that is specifically for children to learn and grow in.
We have a waitlist at our centre, which would allow us to open several more centres but with little space to grow our business within the confines of land available in Squamish, we are currently limited to the space we have.
We cannot wait for the opportunity to begin developing more exceptional childcare centres within the new Oceanfront development.
The demographic of families currently attending our centre and on our waitlist are young families who are growing and also looking for new opportunities in Squamish.
Let's move forward with this development and allow for Squamish residents and visitors to experience all that the Oceanfront and Squamish can be.
Louise Schell
Squamish
