Daily Mirror delivered to your doorstep

Dear Editor:

Readers might have been forgiven last weekend for thinking they’d been magically transported to England, and had had a copy of The Daily Mirror delivered to their doorsteps.

Your tabloid journalism certainly attracted attention to the very serious situation of Kelowna city council’s most unwise decision, (aside from Coun. Charlie Hodge’s dissenting vote) to re-zone, with intent to subdivide, 409 Park Ave., where until recently the Heritage-registered 1907 Groves House was located.

It now graces the landfill, not a street in the Heritage Conservation Area.

Unfortunately, while your article made “catchy” reading, it was based on erroneous information.

It appears your reporter was dozing, as he stated that I, “took personal aim” at Mr. David Cullen, Sr., the applicant’s elderly father, by repeating “his” statement that they were looking for “a parcel” to purchase. (This is developer terminology, not that of people looking for a heritage house in a heritage conservation area). Also, that he “had some very tear-jerking arguments.”

However, in both cases I was referring to Mr. Dave Cullen, Jr., as can be very clearly heard in the broadcast of the Aug. 11 public hearing (kelowna.ca).

Yes, Mr. Cullen, Sr. wept during his presentation, but that was not to which I was referring, but to the litany of woes recited by Dave Cullen, Jr.

Under no circumstances would I have added to Mr. David Cullen’s distress by drawing attention to it.

If anything, I was feeling sorry for him, as I felt he was being “used” to bolster his son’s argument, that he, Dave Cullen, had sincerely intended to restore the heritage house, not destroy it.

(Further discredited by his additional remark at the hearing that they had been looking for almost five years, “to build” in the area).

I sincerely hope that this clarifies and corrects the misinformation. It won’t sell as many papers as, “The Mirror”, version, but hopefully will disabuse fellow readers of the idea I verbally abuse elderly gentlemen.

Perhaps I merely beat them up with my cane when the press isn’t around?

Yours for heritage conservation,

Valerie Hallford, Kelowna