EDITOR,
As newcomers to Squamish who love living here and are interested in supporting our local community, we decided to attend the public information meeting of March 31 at the Adventure Centre to learn more about the new Scott Crescent proposed development plan of the Kingswood Group.
We arrived at the meeting at 6 p.m., walked through and read the displays, which were excellent, and waited for the formal presentation and the question-and-answer period. This is where the meeting fell apart.To be fair, there were a couple of good questions; however, a few, very vocal, anti-development individuals took over the discussion, so the rest of us had little if any opportunity to think, let alone ask a question.
As for the new development proposal of the Kingswood Group, we thought it was a good one for Squamish. This development will enhance the area in a thoughtful fashion. The plan is organized in phases so that there will be time to sell the first phase before the following phases are undertaken. There is a focus on enhancing the natural environment with allocation of green spaces, walkways and park space. Additionally, there is an effort to control traffic through the use of speed bumps, roundabouts and enhanced curbs. There is also consideration for the existing neighbours; Kingswood architects have put in a green buffer zone and the buildings are thoughtfully designed to fit into the community.
Squamish needs more retail services; Kingswood has added space for these services in their design. The increased population is also a necessity to promote retail expansion throughout Squamish. The Climbing Centre is a bonus; while a few focussed on the size of the climbing wall as inadequate, we see this as a centre to meet, support and promote climbing in Squamish.
Well-planned growth and development will bring much-needed employment and investment opportunities to Squamish. We fully support this proposal and encourage the community to get behind it.
Tom and Vicki McCarthy
Squamish
