Editor's note: In response to a request from the proponents of the Sea to Sky Gondola, The Chief has recently been receiving a number of letters in support of the proposal, addressed to Squamish's mayor and council and copied to The Chief for publication. This week we are publishing a selection of those letters. Naturally, if we also receive letters expressing concerns about the proposal, we will also publish those.
Dear Mayor Gardner and Council,
We are writing to express our support of the Sea to Sky Gondola proposal and to encourage Council's endorsement of the project.
This new gondola is going to introduce the natural beauty of Squamish to visitors from all over the world, get them up off the highway that brought them here and up to heights that reveal all that Squamish has to offer. Rather than passing us by as they continue to Whistler, the gondola will draw outdoor enthusiasts of all ages to the views of the Howe Sound and surrounding peaks, to a range of trails for hiking and biking, and give them reason to stay a while, or to plan a return trip to explore more Squamish adventures. The gondola will provide an accessible trip into our Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada and showcase the environment we, as residents, feel privileged to live in.
This gondola project means memorable experiences for our visitors, and economic benefits for Squamish - it's a win-win. The Sea to Sky Gondola will create full-time jobs, enabling highly qualified, local residents to work within the community rather than commute (and what better ambassadors for a tourism operation than those who live here?). And by attracting visitors for longer stays in our town, all Squamish businesses are going to benefit.
Squamish needs to embrace this opportunity as a means to engage visitors, put Squamish on the "destination" map, contribute to our local economy, and strengthen our emerging tourism industry - the industry that's going to move this town forward into its next chapter of success.
We trust that we can count on council to move this project ahead. We'd be proud to have the Sea to Sky Gondola as a part of our Squamish.
Gillian and Scott Bexton
Brackendale
