Editor, The News:
Re: All that’s needed in Albion flats is shopping (Letters, March 4).
I think both points on developing the Albion flats are valid: people need convenient shopping options, and we need to preserve our natural resources and environment.
For a moment, let’s forget about commercial taxes, jobs, ALR, natural habitat. Let’s just ask why people moved to Maple Ridge and what they love about this community?
Shopping is definitely is not on top of the list, but you will get answers about the great natural surroundings, outdoor activities and sports, great small-town community.
I believe a majority of people in Maple Ridge embrace these fundamental reasons for living here, and understood that we can’t have our cake and eat it too.
Why advocate and try so hard to justify how great big-box shopping development would be?
Why not consider a more realistic alternative, such as relocating to a more shopping convenient location?
Having said that, I do some shopping at the Superstore, Costco and Futureshop. But these big-box commercial developments would shatter the opportunity for Maple Ridge to develop a unique characteristic which we consider as our fundamental reason for livability, not to mention capturing a unique type of commercial tax base.
But times are changing. Perhaps I should be relocating.
Peter Tam
Maple Ridge