EDITOR,
I have lived in this area for all my life. I have hiked the Stawamus Chief many times as well as the surrounding areas. I am vehemently opposed to this development. This land should remain as park land and the development should not proceed. The public has been able to enjoy the views and beauty of the region as it should, for many years, by hiking the trails.
This type of development seeks to capitalize on people's laziness, that they would pay to ride, rather than hike up. But it ruins the experience for those who understand that mountains and wilderness speak their wisdom when one approaches them on their own terms.
There are reasons we have limits to development all over this region. Why not build houses on the tops of all mountains, why not have condos all over the wilderness?Because B.C. residents are proud of their wilderness legacy, respect it, and seek to protect it.
In that regard, one of the most powerful land-protection mechanisms is park status. And here is an application to make mockery of that process, by taking some land out of park status for commercial development.
I call on the B.C. government to halt this application and ensure that the protection of our physical environment remains a top concern for it, as it is for citizens like myself.
Stephen Sian
North Vancouver
