THE EDITOR,
Re: "As highrises creep up and up, fellowship falls and fades," Column, March 16.
We have been living in Richmond for close to 25 years and are appalled at what Richmond has become. Having been lucky enough to travel extensively in Europe, some of the Middle East, plus every state in the U.S., I can say Richmond's downtown, in comparison, is now probably one of the ugliest we have encountered anywhere.
Driving around Richmond recently, it struck both my husband and I that No. 3 Road is arguably one of the most badly planned main thoroughfares to be found. Bumper to bumper traffic, strip malls with parking spots filled and hardly any pedestrians to be found, plus the concrete monstrosity right down the middle.
Driving the same road and surrounding roads at night is an eye-opener - those featureless highrises are mostly dark. Does that mean there is a curfew (lights out at 8 p.m.) or are they unoccupied? The chances of making friends in those places is almost nil.
Highrises do not make communities. You would be lucky if you got to see your next-door neighbour in the elevator once in a while. What a difference from Main and Fraser streets in Vancouver. There, the sidewalks are thronged with pedestrians. They are real people walking - a rare sight in Richmond.
Now, city council are set to approve another 25 highrises, a "high end" mall, plus Walmart is coming. And approve these projects they will. Over the years, my husband and I have attended many re-zoning council meetings and never once have we seen anything turned down. I think council will only be happy when Richmond is entirely paved over and there is not even a blade of grass remaining.
I see that Richmond places 100 in livable places in Canada. What a surprise, I wouldn't have placed it that high!
Patricia Gannon Richmond
