Heritage gem is threatened

Re Petitions, rejections, controversy, Oct. 22 What a shame that moving this part of our Canadian history is even being considered. Two thousand visitors to the Dionne homestead in 2015 seems grossly understated. How about the thousands of people who pass this landmark daily?

But if interest in this part of Canadian history is measured only by those who physically tour the inside of the home, I’m sure that with some imagination the chamber of commerce could encourage more visitors. For example, a visit to the Dionne homestead could be part of the school curriculum for elementary school students. Much could be learned. And surely a trust fund was established decades ago from the $500 million in revenues generated through the Dionne Quintuplets Guardian Act. Couldn’t some of this money be used for maintenance in perpetuity?

And the land value assessment is trivial compared to the importance of this miracle birth. There’s no shortage of valuable land to buy or sell around North Bay. The chamber of commerce and the city councillors must preserve our heritage and show respect for the Dionne family. Donald Cangiano, Oakville