Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to your Dec. 12 story about the three new highrises approved for the Seylynn area.
I really dislike the glib attitude some politicians have as they try to appease the masses with their meaningless platitudes. In explaining his support for the 790-unit project, Coun. Robin Hicks says that most residents will only see the towers for 15 minutes during their commutes.
Who is he trying to kid? The excessive height and location of those three towers is one thing, but we'll be staring at those towers a lot longer than 15 minutes as traffic is already seriously congested and is often already backed up on the highway to Lonsdale Avenue, with Mountain Highway, Fern Street, Keith Road and Main Street (not to mention all the problems with Lions Gate Bridge), all being choke points. And that is even before the towers at Harbourside, 17th and Lonsdale, 13th and Lonsdale, Lynn Valley Centre and Seylynn go in.
Coun. Hicks also said in regards to the development that "we cannot remain frozen in time."
Why is it that development is not allowed to remain "frozen in time," but our infrastructure that is supposed to support all these extra people and cars is?
As for his comment of turning "a pretty desolate piece of land into a place were people can live": well, it wasn't a desolate piece of land and people did live there until they were all bought out for the development.
Why does council often define progress as maximum square footage and sky-high buildings?
Angela Koudstaal North Vancouver
