As a 35-year Salmon Arm resident and 30 year local business owner I would like to respond to Mr. LaTosky’s request (Viewpoint, Oct. 28 Observer) for businesses to voice their opinions.

Our company manufactures and exports log homes worldwide. We also have suffered job losses like those Mr. LaTosky speaks of.

I am all in favour of development and we’re currently involved in some recreational development ourselves; but, I am not in favour of developing anything outside of a market garden on this particular site. My roots are in rural southern Ontario where I witnessed firsthand beautiful bottom land being turned into shopping malls, industrial parks and housing developments.

A lot has already been said about topics like the effects of peak oil, the 100 mile diet feeding future generations, lack of communications with the First Nations people, Smart Growth principles, diminishing water resources, wetlands, the struggling northern salmon fisheries... I will not belabour these points here; suffice to say last year’s algae bloom was (for me) the death knell of the canary in our lake’s mine shaft. I love this lake.

Ultimately, any business owner’s success is directly proportionate to the amount of research he conducts before embarking on a project, or a business plan for that matter. I would urge any business considering throwing their support behind building on this special land to read the environmental report conducted by Ecoscape from Kelowna. This report paints an uncompromising picture of an extraordinary wetland area teeming with biodiversity, dissimilar to the minimalist report paid for by SmartCentres.

So, in conclusion; if a more suitable site nearer the downtown cannot accommodate this type of shopping centre, then consider a former gravel pit or use the landfill site like the residents of Aitchi, Japan. The landfill seems more convenient since a lot of that stuff barely leaves the store before it’s on its way there.

Duncan Morris, president, Traditional Log Homes Ltd.