Dear Editor:
I attended the District of West Vancouver council meeting Monday evening for the discussion of the plans for the 1300block of Marine Drive and the site of the police station.
Grosvenor's design looks like a giant cement cruise ship (eight storeys plus elevator shaft) sitting on the waterfront with plants hanging off of it. Goodbye quaint old Ambleside with a beach atmosphere. Hello Rodeo Drive with contrived shopping-land complete with entertainment centre in blue lights at the foot of 14th Street so we can have festivals galore but no room for parking at all for old folks or cars full of kids going to the beach.
Shops and restaurants are the priority. Business interests reign supreme.
What are we thinking? What do we value? This is a crisis in this neighbourhood. Do we sell out to those who would exploit for profits? Or do we take control and preserve what is of real value and manage to design a plan that brings meaningful and profitable businesses into the area without making it ugly and changing its unique character forever to look like anywhere in North America. Working within the existing OCP would guarantee and preserve what human beings truly need in a neighbourhood.
I plead with my council to think long and hard before accepting this abomination. This design would look good somewhere, but not on a street so close to a beach that much of Vancouver values as an escape to a quiet place.
Let us not sell our soul.
Gail Cotter West Vancouver
