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Downtown a dead zone, comparatively

The Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation and the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association have shown their uselessness.

To the Editor,

Re: Actions would speak louder than grumbling on downtown revitalization, Letters, Jan. 20.

The letter writer is right to say Tourism Nanaimo is not the entity to install Christmas lights. It is there to promote the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas joy emitting from downtown.

Yes, the downtown was a dead zone the night I went to liven it up a bit. So, like the bus load of seniors, I headed to lively Ladysmith and saw some lively people under lights that had thought behind them and the stores welcomed customers in.

The Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association and the spinoff committees once again have shown their uselessness.

A big circle of cronies milking city hall for taxpayers’ cream. But the results are skim milk, tasteless and unnutritional to this lark called ‘downtown revitalization.’

Neil SaundersNanaimo

 

To the Editor,

Re: Actions would speak louder than grumbling on downtown revitalization, Letters, Jan. 20.

It was like another breath of fresh air for me to read this letter.

As I have been to many places around the world – big and small – famous and not famous, I know for certain that Nanaimo is a good place to live, but not highly known for tourism. We cannot replicate Paris, Rome, New York or Melbourne. A few people seem to have an inferiority complex about Nanaimo. This is not necessary. We are different, just as every other place is different. In Quebec, where I have lived, people say, “Vive la différence.”

We are very fortunate that many people who live in colder parts of Canada move here and import their assets and skills to enrich our community.

Ralph ForshawNanaimo