To The Editor;
Is Creston next? On March 20, B.C.’s Liberal government gave the green light for the development of the Jumbo Glacier Resort. Another portion of B.C.’s beautiful pristine landscape to be scarred with ski tram lines, towers and gondolas with a large multi-complex resort to be built at the base of the glacier. Added to all of this will be a 57 km highway, 60 metres wide, and when it’s under construction it’s going to destroy the wild animal habitat in its path. There will have to be a couple of wild game underpasses plus miles of chain-link fencing to prevent the slaughter of deer and elk and lives on the highway. This is going to cost in the neighborhood of over $200 million and at the expense of the B.C. taxpayers.
In addition to B.C.’s annual debt, there will have to be one police car and one ambulance designated for that stretch of highway 24/7. I doubt if the Liberal government gave any forethought to the highway and its maintenance at all prior to the green light. Which is understandable after the millions spent on the 2010 Olympics that has put B.C.’s ledgers in the red for years to come.
Some people say that the resort will be an economic boost to the town. For some, yes, but for the longtime resident seniors a detriment. Once the well-heeled Albertan baby boomers and the foreign elites start moving in and purchasing property. Real estate prices will escalate drastically. Then the BC Assessment with its guidelines of “market value” makes its survey. The retired people who built their community and raised their families and made lifelong friends are forced to sell and move because of unaffordable taxation. This is happening all across southern B.C. like a transmitted disease.
After making a good buck on the sale of their home, the seniors will start looking for another town similar to the one they had. Creston will pop up in their minds like a blueberry in a bowl of milk. Having 150 or so families converging on Creston to purchase real estate is going to create the same dilemma they just left behind, not to mention the burden dumped on our already over-stressed medical services here and shortage of permanent doctors.
But lets not give up hope entirely here. Our Regional District of Central Kootenay could step up to the plate, saying, “We can save the town. We can save the Creston Valley.”
We could have a ski chalet built on top of the Huscroft mountain at Dodge Creek to attract permanent doctors and new business for an economic boost. Hallelujah! Let’s build it. Let’s have another referendum!
Creston