This issue of has five pages of letters from residents expressing their strong views on the proposed Oceanfront Development and the partnership between Qualex Landmark and The Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation. There are also four pages of articles chronicling the news coming from the last week of forums, surveys and fact gatherings as the "fors" and "againsts" jockey for position before the big Council vote on Tuesday (Oct. 17).
The participation of the public has been impressive, with the variety of opinion as wide as anything Squamish has ever seen in the past. According to the survey commissioned by Qualex and covered on page A4, the pro camp has a slight edge. On the council itself, one representative has come out in favour, two are against and four state they are undecided as goes to press. So it is down to the wire.
Hundreds of people have become involved in the Oceanfront proposal and the issues connected to it, and whatever the final outcome of Tuesday's vote, it can be expected that the public will very much be heard from in the coming years as Oceanfront takes shape - whatever shape that may be.
Therefore, it would be a mistake to reject the public's right to speak on this issue before the final vote on Tuesday. Many who feel that they must have an unfettered say before their elected representatives vote should be shown the same respect as those who are closer to the debate on a daily basis, and as a consequence have ample opportunities to make themselves heard.
There are plenty of examples in the recent past where this has been respected. In Vancouver, the debate on the proposed Wal-mart project kept the city's mayor, Sam Sullivan, and council in the chamber all night to hear people express their opinions.
Closer to home, the scale of the wood chip debate meant that a council meeting in 2001 had to be held in Brennan Park's auditorium to accommodate speakers. On Tuesday we will learn if space should have been made to include those public members who still wanted to be heard.
