Editor, The News:
Re: Bylaws department needs to be reviewed (Letters, April 15).
Our organization had a similar incident occur with bylaw officers.
We rented a mobile sign and were told we could have it for 30 days, then it had to be removed. It could be returned in 60 days for another 30 days ongoing.
On the 30th day, we phoned our sign company to come pick it up.
In the meantime, a bylaw officer marched in and told us to remove it.
We explained that had been done.
He then returned the following day to phone the company himself to have it removed immediately.
I have noted that the signs in west Maple Ridge and east of the downtown core have been up for months, even years. These signs being identical to our 30-day allotment sign.
They have no problem or hassle from anyone. The downtown core has become a target for a bylaw officer crackdown on sandwich boards and mobile ad signs. The rest of the town gets a free pass.
Why the segregation?
The Ridge Meadows Hospice thrift store is a non-profit organization raising money for palliative care, grief counselling and supportive services for our community. However, we are not allowed to have signs or sandwich boards in public view, which would direct the public to our store and support our community cause.
Why, because we are in the downtown core, behind – and I repeat, behind – and on the north side of Haney Sewing and Sound?
What makes this area so different or a target for bylaw officers?
Drive through this town and you will see there are huge realtor signs, sandwich boards, flags, mobile ads boards everywhere else, and they appear to be permanent.
I wonder what the projection for this sudden town core sign cleansing is about?
I also wonder, is there a plan to rid the downtown core of legitimate businesses in order to make room for the bikes, druggies and homeless, or is an unknown celebrity arriving soon. Perhaps Charlie Sheen?
Laura Cherrille,
executive director
Ridge Meadows Hospice Society