Editor, The News:
Re: Maple Ridge residents rally against supportive housing at Quality Inn.
Having been a frequent customer of The Pantry and Home restaurants, one thing is absolutely certain, I will not be a customer at either in the future should the Quality Inn motel be converted to supportive housing for the homeless.
As soon as this information became public knowledge, my question was, I have not seen any advertisement in any local paper regarding a public meeting.
I guess this is the style governments use – always the easy way.
Maybe some of these elected officials are tired of their jobs and don’t worry about being re-elected.
I wonder who this genius is behind this decision, converting a nice motel into housing for the homeless?
Judging by my observations, why does everyone feel sorry for the homeless?
Every immigrant coming to Canada is homeless when they arrive here. That included me. I knew absolutely no one in this country, but was only homeless until I found a job.
Also, a closer examination is needed as to who has the ability to work, who has to get off drugs and who really needs help?
Looks like some of these folks enjoy this free-loading lifestyle, while the rest of us work and pay taxes.
We already had two homeless people shipped to B.C.
Buying nice motels will only attract more homeless from the rest of Canada.
The Quality Inn is not the right place.
Try a little harder, B.C. Housing.
Yes, as has been mentioned a hundred times, Riverview is the place.
Spend the money there.
Lance Felgnar
Pitt Meadows
‘Bad idea’
Editor, The News:
Re: Maple Ridge residents rally against supportive housing at Quality Inn.
I am sorry, but this idea is a piece of crap, not thought out at all by your government, much less Maple Ridge council. My reasons are many.
• This building has all outside entrances. How is any group, no matter how well organized, going to control drug dealing and other activities?
• It is located on a stretch of highway already known for much loss of life due to jaywalkers and cyclists not heeding any rules of the road.
• There will be considerable loss of jobs by employees of the existing motel, the adjacent Pantry restaurant, and the Home Restaurant next door, both of which are favorites in this town.
• It is directly adjacent to many homes in a residential neighborhood behind the motel. No fence could ever stop the problems. They already have a problem in the area, as I belong to Haney Presbyterian Church, behind the Home restaurant, and we have already had problems with people sleeping in the doorways and yards, leaving behind needles and other undesirables.
• School children from the area to the south, and vulnerable middle and high school children walk down 216 Street to get to their schools.
• The motel is directly alongside a liquor store.
• Although the Best Western motel and the trailer park beside it are across the road, their clients use The Pantry and Home restaurants due to a lack of eating facilities on that side of the highway.
• And to top it all off, who says these people have to be near town centre? They do nothing but lower property values and do not patronize businesses.
They need to be away from residential and business areas. If they need public transport, fine, put them out of town centre and provide TransLink service.
Gail Day
Maple Ridge