Dear editor:
Congratulations to Blythwood Homes for its thoughtful rethinking and more sympathetic approach to its proposed lakefront condo project, (“Residents OK with Melville condo plans,” The Lake Report, May 25).
Although it may not please everyone, it is a vast improvement and shows that there are actually some reasonable developers in our area who can understand the importance of the look of a project and how it fits into the local, long-established neighbourhood that they are directly affecting.
What a reasonable, civilized and thoughtful way to present a new project.
Blythwood reacted to residents’ input in a reasonable way and it is pleasantly really surprising how this is being handled by all involved. Both sides, pro and con, engaged thoughtfully.
And now for something completely different: Two other projects, with little thought for how they look or how they directly affect the immediate neighbours and surrounding area, comprise single- and two-storey homes, some older and historic.
This is quiet, close-knit housing, with a long-established, pleasant feel to the area.
The developer’s hotel proposed for the old Parliament Oak school site is so inappropriate and offensive to that neighbourhood.
Is this how a local developer shows concern and thoughtfulness for our unique town?
Just the act of proposing to build that particular project with that look on that site seems to be almost a act of vandalism to the area.
This type of approach from any developer really seems to show their actual attitude toward the immediate neighbourhood. They just don’t care.
As well, the complex proposed on Mary Street, across from Willow Cakes & Pastries, is just more of the same.
If we had more developers opt for the reasonable and thoughtful approach (like Blythwood did with the Melville condos proposal), we would get far more accomplished.
Reasonable input and proposals from both sides really seem to get results. But it also seems to be a process that is not embraced by some of our larger local developers.
Christopher Allen
NOTL
