Dear Editor,
Nothing has changed or will change as a result of Richmond’s recent elections. Unoccupied mega-houses will continue to dominate our residential neighbourhoods, condo towers that will probably achieve no better than a 50 per cent occupancy rate are still being built at a feverish, illogical rate, and Chinese-only signage remains an unfortunate impediment to the full realization of a truly integrated and respectful multi-cultural society.
But I do predict that if anything will change over the next decade it will be Steveston being slowly overwhelmed by the kind of generic development that characterizes the rest of the city. Lot by lot, building by building, this last vestige of Richmond’s early heritage will be subsumed by the kinds of structures and businesses that are typical of all strip-mall and main street developments across North America. The philosophy of development that dictates community planning in Richmond demands that money, not educated, enlightened planning dictate the design of the community, and we only need to step back and objectively assess what the city looks like in general to understand the extent to which our lives have already been affected by this ethos.
Perhaps the only positive outcome of the evolution of a new Steveston will be that local residents will find more parking spaces to use because fewer tourists will be interested in visiting the place.
It seems only those in power get to define the concept of ‘progress,” but their definition is not the same as mine.
Ray Arnold,
Richmond
