Laura kelsey

During the municipal elections, especially the District of 100 Mile council and mayoral races, there has been quite a bit of talk about attracting new business blood, by way of industry, to 100 Mile House, while retaining residents seems to be ignored.

Keeping what you have before trying to get more is the way to go; overlooking current resident concern will just lead to more problems, so problems need to be nipped in the bud before more problems — like overpopulation from an aging infrastructure — are piled on.

At first glance, the Cariboo does seem enticing. Less people and more wide-open green spaces are very appealing to people tired of the claustrophobia-inducing roadways in Vancouver and increasing violence in the Fraser Valley.

People from southern communities think the further north you go, the cheaper it is to live.

This is not true.

Besides the price of land and property, it can be well-argued that it is more expensive to live in 100 Mile than it is in the Greater Vancouver Regional District; lack of business competition limits consumers, lack of transit forces residents to drive long distances every day in their vehicles with higher insurance rates — and higher gas prices certainly don’t help.

If industry considers relocating to the area, the land-cost savings will initially entice them but the higher operating and shipping costs will keep them down south — especially with 100 Mile’s lack of water and sewer utilities in our current industrial area up Exeter Road.

Perhaps those businesses will make up their savings by paying their employees lower wages, as is the case with many, currently.

And where will these attracted folks live?

Land may be cheap, but rent is on par with the Coast. Those just testing the waters of the Cariboo don’t want to immediately purchase a home, especially before experiencing the colder winters.

A heavily-discussed solution to this attraction/retention problem is adding a pool to the mix.

There seems to be a lot resting on the shoulders of this pool — it is the do-all, be-all, end-all solution to all the town’s problems. Throw out a pool and watch Highway 97 line up with excited new residents.

Doctors leaving? Build a pool. Not enough young people? Build a pool. Not enough retirees? Pool. Not enough for the kids to do? Pool!

A lot of town dissatisfaction revolves around the medical system, especially as surrounding communities lose their services and doctors flee in frustration.

A pool is not going to make up for the extra hours physicians have to work or patients must travel to see specialists or even something as simple as an ultrasound.

The same goes for retirees and young people who are ready to start families.

As fun as it might be to take your new bundle of joy to “water babies” or as nice as a hot tub or aquacises might feel on aging bones, the last thing pregnant women or seniors (or anyone, for that matter) with chronic diseases want to do is spend hours in their cars through possible adverse weather conditions driving to Williams Lake, Kamloops or even the Lower Mainland to seek necessary help.

As one council candidate stated, we can’t rely on nature to attract more residents and businesses to 100 Mile House; but we can’t expect nature to pay our bills and keep us here, either.