I am pleased to respond to letters from Melissa Shaw and Jill Gresley-Jones who are taking an interest in the seniors’ housing project at Christina Lake.
Volunteers have been working on this, examining alternate sites, impacts on the environment and on community life for several years now. I am a senior, hoping to stay here when I no longer can manage in my home. I don’t want to have to move back to Alberta or to another town here. I want to be near the post office, grocery store, doctor’s office etc.
At this site one only has to cross the highway once. All other sites require us to cross three times. You go look.
So I have attended several information meetings at the community hall, the Homecoming where maps and descriptions were given and the excellent meeting right outside at the proposed site last summer—it was an eye opener, and because of that I am surprised at your descriptions.
I walked down Kimura Road to that location. There’s a big yellow sign there by some really scrubby looking land (not much land either) which apparently was an old contaminated site from sawmill days. It looks awful.
It is not on the lake or the creek (where you are not apparently allowed to build anyway). Nobody I know has seen wildlife there….you’ll see those further on. The trails and benches you described are also not at this location. In its present state it’s actually kind of crappy. Try to get out to see for yourself and I’m sure you will feel more positive about it.
I’m sure you would like to see us able to walk over to the trails, perhaps have a coffee or lunch at the Welcome Centre and continue to enjoy those amenities you already mention. If this was your parents, would you not want them to have the same opportunities this site offers? You may also want to be there one day too. Please don’t hide away our seniors and loved ones.
It is good that you care about what is happening and I do hope you have no more family emergencies that keep you away from information meetings. We are all working together to make a better community and the more positive we are, the better for all our projects will turn out.
– Pat Walker, Christina Lake