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More public handouts not needed downtown

Re: City’s revitalization an ongoing process, Letters, Aug. 4.

To the Editor,

Re: City’s revitalization an ongoing process, Letters, Aug. 4.

I’d like to answer the writer’s questions in my opinion.

He asks why so many closed stores? The few I see are privately owned and either need repair or the rent must be too high.

Streets empty in the evening? The stores are closed mainly; unless they sell booze, and who’s drinking and driving downtown these days?

No north-enders as regulars? Could be the same reason I go north to shop. They have a dozen ‘downtowns’ of their own – one-stop shopping with easy parking.

Commercial Street (with the Vancouver Island Conference Centre and Port Theatre snuck into the bid), just accepted ‘The Best Street in Canada’ award from great places in Canada.

I ask if that needs more taxpayers’ handouts as of that declaration? Enough said? Not.

Neil Saunders

Nanaimo