Dear Editor:
My husband and I were just walking by the now shuttered Peter Rabbit Market in Edgemont Village.
Over the past 10 days since Steve (market owner) was forced out of business, many people have been writing kind words of appreciation and warm childhood memories on the front board on the window, showing their profound respect and thanking Steve and his family for serving the community, our neighbourhood, for so many years. It has been a community shrine, a very public and emotional expression of what is at the heart and core of what this neighbourhood means to us all.
However, under the cover of dusk, we watched as a man pulled up in his pickup and, with a can of black spray paint, obliterated all the messages.
Several of us passing by, shocked by his desecration of this wonderful tribute to a long-serving business of our village, questioned the man about his motive for doing this; according to him, he claimed that there were “bad words” that had to be covered over. Had there been any offensive language, surely a Sharpie pen might have easily redacted them.
This is so disheartening, so very sad. In recent days we’ve lost several key businesses in our village operated by individuals who have contributed so much to our community of Edgemont Village.
Peter Rabbit is now shuttered after some 60 years, Marlene Tate’s Trims after 26 years, both businesses that drew people from all over the North Shore and beyond and that made our village u nique and respected.
To all those who want to move in and capitalize on what has to date made our village great – and it still is great – please take the time to recognize and understand what the heartbeat is, respect it and realize that you have an obligation to our community. The rewards of being a good neighbour and respecting our community are paramount to your success: we welcome and support good neighbours.
Elizabeth McLenehan
North Vancouver
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