Hello? Are we still here?

Well, it’s a relief to see you. After last week’s edition of The Lake Report, it seemed dead-certain this column would be spiked. Deep-sixed. Snuffed.

Would Mr. Editor do to this scribe what Trump just did to the poor woman who counts U.S. jobs? Off with her head!

After all, the paper has gone all-in for the mega development the Shaw folks plan for the heart of Old Town.

It embraces the size, the massing, the demolitions, the height, the truck bays, the big-box architecture, the gobbling-up of a residential street and the three or more years of construction chaos involved. Bring it on. Shaw good. Critics wrong.

The last fanboy edition delivered a positive front-page story, a half-page from Shaw Festival execs justifying the Royal George redo, two pictures of the guy who will be building it (he owns a slice of this publication) and an editorial suggesting I’m out to lunch. But still, all is not good. There are concerns, fears and anger.

“Allowing this heritage-designated building to be essentially demolished and replaced with a modern one will set a precedent for other neighbouring (or not) historical buildings to also be demolished by developers eager to replace the existing NOTL landscape with buildings that can generate profits,” says Gienek Ksiazkiewicz.

“And, town council, through their actions (or inactions) appear to be complicit in allowing this to happen. Is this the beginning of the end?”

“The thing I have against the Shaw’s new building is that it does not blend with the main street,” says Jim Smith, famed author and NOTL chronicler. “The building has an ultra-modern appearance that does not blend in. The town has no concept of heritage.”

Speaking of council, let’s turn to our elder statesman, Gary Burroughs. He’s been in politics for decades, served as lord mayor, was chair of the Shaw Festival and operated the Oban Inn for 30 years. When it comes to running this place, many say, he’s the adult in the room.

And he’s worried.

“Shaw believed that they were so loved in town and beyond that they would automatically get approved,” he says. “They are loved and I am certainly a big fan. But their arrogance in the way they approached this project that will affect our town.”

That effect could be huge. Burroughs fears it may kill off swaths of the main street.

“It’s a big industrial box on a very important piece of property. This is bigger than the courthouse, and it doesn’t fit. The construction process is a huge issue. They’re saying three years, but that will destroy half the shops in town. With this project, they won’t have a future. Those on Victoria, frankly, will be devastated.”

Scale is an issue, as well. “The storm water on that massive building will suddenly be directed into our storm sewer. But it was never built to take that kind of volume,” says Burroughs — who also fears the main drag will be awash in buses once the theatre complex is built.

Besides the arrogance, the lousy architecture, the out-of-scale size, the strain on services and the withering impact on existing businesses, he agrees this might be the beginning of the end of NOTL as a heritage refuge.

“Shaw’s consultants told us, ‘You know in 50 years this will be the standard and all of those old buildings will be gone.’ But there are thousands of European cities that are a hell of a lot older than ours and they haven’t destroyed their heritage,” he retorts. “So, don’t say that stuff!”

What’s next?

The Shaw proponents need a zoning change. An official plan amendment. Demo permits. Site plan approvals. Building permits. And they want it all pronto, saying taxpayer funding will disappear if the process drags.

“I think they get it now,” says Burroughs. “They’ve been hammered to the point of … gee… maybe we should have done this differently because we’ve been talking down to people all the time. I’m still confident they’re going to make some major changes.”

“And people should keep complaining until it happens.”

Garth Turner is a NOTL resident, journalist, author, wealth manager and former federal MP and minister. garth@garth.ca