The Editor,
Re: "Defensiveness proceeds breakthroughs," Community, March 30.
Joe Greenholtz claims in his column that some people in Richmond are feeling uncomfortable with the pace of change in our city.
Those of us who have lived in Richmond for more than 20 years fondly remember what we called neighbourhoods, which are now lot after lot of monster homes, brick walls and iron railings, no grass and no people.
The city's main road is undriveable and the downtown core is unlivable.
We all recognize that change is inevitable, but with change we would hope comes improvements.
Greenholtz refers to Richmondof-old as a "sleepy, semi-rural suburb" and now is a "dynamic multicultural community."
Manhattan, Hong Kong and the west end of Vancouver are dynamic places also - nice places to visit, but not to raise a family.
I would suggest that Greenholtz leave the rarified air of academia and mingle with the inhabitants who remember our "sleepy, semirural suburb" and maybe he will understand our resistance to the total demolishing of our cherished neighbourhoods and ruination of our beloved city.
Anyone reading Greenholtz columns should do so through the filter of his employment as a immigration consultant and not as an unbiased citizen.
Alan Halliday Richmond
