The Editor,
Re. "Public input vs. public input in Port Moody" (Letters, The Tri-City News, Jan. 30), "Port Moody's Ioco & Bert Flinn decisions are 'brilliant' (sarcasm)" and "This is the death of the Ioco townsite" (Letters, tricitynews.com).
My goodness, if you were to rely on the letters to the editor of The Tri-City News and some of the public comments at recent Port Moody council meetings, you would arrive at the conclusion that any attempt to restrict development on the city's north shore and in Moody Centre can only have calamitous consequences for our city.
I especially note the writers and speakers purporting to represent Port Moody residents suggesting that the majority of us support the road through Bert Flinn Park, substantive development in the Ioco lands and massive development in Moody Centre. The only evidence they rely on at this point is conjecture about what might happen and their insular social media forums.
The real evidence to be relied on is the last election, when the Port moody residents who voted elected a majority of council who do not support the level of development proposed by the last council and supported the removal of the right-of-way through Bert Flinn Park.
Apparently, the three amigos — councillors Meghan Lahti, Diana Dilworth and Zoe Royer —continue to push an old narrative. It is disconcerting that council has been bullied into meeting behind closed doors with the Moody Centre consortium of owners and developers because in Coun. Dilworth's comments at the conclusion of a recent meeting, "You don't understand how development works."
As someone involved in local government for more than 40 years, I know how the development process works and, generally speaking, a developer's priority is not about community building, it is about profit (no criticism here, just the facts).
It's a collective community voice that determines the vision for Port Moody's future. I appreciate that there are many voices and perspectives in any community dialogue, particularly around the long-term future of our little gem on the inlet. Open council meetings, evidence-based decision making and a more respectful tone that values different perspectives would be a great start to 2020.
David Stuart, Port Moody
