Letters to the editor

Precedents will affect future of city

To the editor:
RE: City waits for details of McDonald's suit

Is anyone else worried about the damage this council is doing and has already done to our city? Now McDonald’s is suing the city over loss of business and closure at the former downtown location close to the bridge.

This letter will not debate the merit of this lawsuit, nor any other lawsuit the city faces but this makes at least four by my count. The city tried to renege on a deal with Al Stober, which it had no right to do. I did not follow the story closely, but the city created a mess with the Simpson Covenant fiasco. The merchants on Pandosy are suing the city, and now McDonalds is suing the city.

If you look at development in Kelowna today, and where it’s heading, and what infrastructure will be needed, I am very worried about precedents being set today that will affect future decisions.

I think that eventually all the industries downtown will likely be moved in lieu of hotels, parks, and condos. I think that a bypass highway is going to be built from somewhere off the connector hopefully to somewhere out near Vernon so people can avoid the Valley if they choose, and it’s very likely that in 100 years, Penticton to Vernon will be all filled in with development, essentially creating a mega-city. The valley may need light rail or subway systems to cope with that, and that will no doubt be a source of debate. I think there will also be at least two more bridges across the lake in my lifetime.

If we make bad decisions today regarding developments I think a snowball effect will be created with bad decisions being compounded on top of bad decisions. This affects tax payers extremely poorly and affects all recipients of tax payer money very poorly. Instead of funds being used to help people and to pay for social services, we will be using them to pay court costs and to fund studies. The social services will still need funding and likely cause higher taxes. Is this the city council we voted for? I think it’s good that citizens and businesses are standing up for what they believe is just and not letting this council bully its way around town. Somehow I think we will all benefit long term.

Mike Tarnowycz