Growth is good but be cautious

Dear Editor: Some growth for a city is usually good, but… a word of caution. Unless the future plans for the city include a plan to handle increased traffic we could end up with the traffic nightmare that Vernon and Kelowna now face.

Some people have moved from Kelowna to Penticton because it is easier to get around. Penticton has no way to widen its streets the way that Kelowna did. In fact, Penticton just narrowed the downtown corridor.

For every 500 new residential units built here, there will be at least 1,000 car trips on the road every day. Where are those cars supposed to go? The city planning department has the unrealistic idea that if they densify around the malls people won’t need cars. That might work in Downtown Vancouver.

It will not work here. People still need cars and the last thing you will ever pry out of the hands of an 80-year-old is their car keys. It is nice to walk to the mall but we still need cars to get around (doctors, hospital, specialists in Kelowna, carrying beach gear, evening entertainment, work, friends). If the city planners feel that the bus will handle all the extra traffic, ask them: “When was the last time you took the bus?”

Keep in mind that a large percentage (54 per cent) of the people in this town are over 50 according to the 2016 census.

Thirty-eight per cent are over 60 and this percentage will continue to grow as more retirees move to town.

We don’t like to drive aggressively or dart in and out of heavy traffic. We came here or stayed here because it was easy to get around.

We need to be realistic about how much growth a lovely relaxed town like Penticton can handle without changing its stress-free lifestyle forever. I suggest we stop the building of towers and limit future buildings to no more than four storeys. If we are not careful, the city planners could cook the goose that laid the golden egg.

Where is the balancing point between growth and a small town, stress-free lifestyle? How much growth can we allow before we lose that quality? This needs to be analyzed very carefully. We need to find balance so we can continue to live here forever.

Speak up and contact the official community planners. What do you want Penticton to become? Attend one of their public meetings or contact them: shapeyourcitypenticton.ca Kathy Corbett Penticton