EDITOR,
Are road blocks and speed traps in Squamish turning into such a nuisance that both employment and people's perceptions of Squamish are getting tarnished?
I have been away for the last eight months travelling in Europe, and not even once have I been stopped in roadblocks nor radar traps. Now, after four days in Squamish, I have seen everyday people stopped by police undercover cars and official vehicles.
Tonight (Saturday night), we were stopped in the Highlands with a roadblock by several police cars, as a drinking-and-driving check, where we were asked where we came from.
Do we really now have to explain to our officials where we come from and to where we are going? This, to us, is private information that we should not be asked nor have to answer.
At my work in the bar industry, about 40 per cent of our staff was let go last year, after the great drinking and driving policing came into effect. Those people left town, and from what I can see, they have not been replaced by the downtown establishments, either.
Is the mayor and police chief aware what this non-stop policing of our regular citizens and visitors are doing to the economy of Squamish? In a time when part of our town seems to be boarded up, we keep on being bashed on our heads with non-stop road blocks and speed traps. Having the police as the welcoming committee, stopping you and dishing out fines, is definitely not good for business or peoples perception of this town.
Believe me, Squamish is special this way; it has been so for a long time, and it might not be all the reason why things are slow here, but I know it is a big part of it. I have lived here for 20-odd years, employed many people, enjoyed the outdoors and the people here, but I personally do resist running the police gauntlets, and it does takes away a lot of people's enjoyment of living here.
I cannot help to sit left with a feeling that fines give revenue and other police work does not.
I just want a change to my driving experience in Squamish and feel good about where I am living.
No, if you wonder, I have not had any speeding tickets or otherwise for the last 20 years.
Eivind Tornes
Garibaldi Highlands
