Dear editor:

Those of us who live here want a vibrant community where we have real neighbours rather than those who come here as tourists and stay in short-term rental homes and who have no vested interest in the welfare of those who actually reside here.

It is a delight, therefore, to see that NOTL council, led by our good Lord Mayor Betty Disero, is seriously addressing the issue of the hollowing out of our town by the growing number of short-term rentals. 

Our community and, more importantly, our sense of community, are at risk as we continue to lose neighbours and neighbourhoods to commercially operated houses in the midst of residential homes. 

More families, retirees, couples and singles could live here if all of the existing short-term rental homes were available for them to call home.

The operators of short-term homes will, no doubt, lobby hard with many real or implied reasons why they should be allowed to continue to operate them. 

But council needs to keep focused on the basic question: What type of community do we want to be in the future?  One, we would hope, where our homes are occupied by neighbours who have a real attachment and commitment to our community and town.

So council, stay the new course and make the changes needed to rebuild our neighbourhoods. Our and the future generations will appreciate what you are about to do to make our community much more than a tourist town.

Bill Garriock
NOTL