Editor:
The closing of El Segundo is not good. It was a bright light on the Sechelt dining scene.
Hiding inside your article on El Segundo was a much-needed article on the effects of the STR near-ban in Sechelt. Sechelt tourism is down 30 per cent, but only down five per cent elsewhere on the Coast? Something unique is happening in Sechelt and the Coast that should be discussed.
Sechelt council recently received the second and last STR program update from staff. It focused on the administration of the new, stringent rules of the near-ban. But it did not say anything about the effects of the STR near-ban on tourism.
Maintaining tourism was one of the goals of Sechelt’s STR program. Ms. Osborne of El Segundo thinks the strong STR near-ban by Sechelt is a large factor. She said it twice in the article. Something›s going on here.
Do continue your coverage of how tourism is doing in Sechelt. Let’s learn the how’s and why’s of what’s working and what’s not. Sechelt is a tourism-centric town. And we’re killing the golden goose. Let’s find out what’s happening. Let’s make sure we are balancing our needs for housing affordability, rental homes, jobs, and tourism.
Greg Bellamy
Sechelt
