Dear editor:

I agree with the viewpoint of columnist Brian Marshall that some towns listen to their residents and some do not, (The Lake Report, column, June 6).

The subject is developer Rainer Hummel’s proposed hotel at 228 Queen St.

What an utterly ridiculous proposal this is.

Without question the hotel is no more a fit with the surrounding area than the Solmar proposal for a hotel at Randwood that has since been withdrawn temporarily due to local opposition and its inappropriate design.

Instead, it is simply a way to benefit Mr. Hummel and his pocketbook at the expense of the residents who may have to live with this inappropriate project and design.

In the artist’s concept, it appears no effort whatsoever has been made to assimilate with the historical district or to the heritage character of Niagara-on-the-Lake. It is simply out of place.

This seems to me to be a shameful beginning of the end of NOTL as a historical and heritage destination.

I certainly hope I am wrong in my opinion.

However, for this we can thank the developer, the elected council whose fundamental responsibility is to represent the residents of NOTL, and those unelected staff members who are all responsible for approval of the application.

The competence and judgment of some of those mentioned is, in my opinion, highly questionable.

Derek Collins
NOTL