The Editor,
Re. "Speak up on R'view future" (The Tri-City News, Jan. 9).
To date, there have been four open house, "visioning" forums, two evenings each forum, four hours per evening, 32 hours total as part of the process used by our provincial government to decide the future use of the incredibly valuable 244-acre Riverview Hospital site.
It started in early 2014 and will end this spring. To state that the process to decide the future of the site has been sorely flawed is an understatement.
Why is our provincial government rushing this process through in one short year? Why has BC Housing been put in charge of the entire land use planning for the site?
I am not convinced a fair decision will be made as a result of the process that I have witnessed. You've heard of a loaded deck?
The Riverview lands are priceless. I fear for the millions of living organisms, those we see and those that are beyond our visible ability.
I fear for the largest plants on our planet that have been allowed to grow undisturbed for over 100 years on this site - majestic, peaceful trees breezing the sky.
I fear for the natural wood lot and the animals that depend on this corridor to the Fraser River.
I fear for the history and the variety of architectural flavour each and every building contains on this site.
I see a government refusing to open its eyes and allow a connection to the heart so it can finally start to see the true value of this incredible piece of our history and the myriad plant and animal life that makes it special, even magical.
I fear the loss of potentially the most impressive site we have in our midst today.
If the government refuses to recognize this, then there is a need to insist it take a longer look. If we allow this beautiful place to be lost through complacency, our world, right here in our back yard, will carry a scar that will never heal.
Kenneth E. Baker, Surrey
