Editor:
I am writing regarding the Town of Gibsons’ proposed sale of their public parking lot property to the Stonehurst developer. These two parking lots have over 20 full-size parking spaces (all with no height restrictions) and are being used by our community while living and working in the area, including commuting to Keats Island.
The developer proposes to make 16 underground public parking spaces in the lower level of their five-storey, 22 condo, hotel and restaurant project. However, their drawings show only 10 spaces are “standard” size and the other six are for even “smaller” vehicles.
Plus, the restrictive entry height to the underground parking won’t allow for pick-up trucks or taller SUVs.
Guests of the 22 condo residents will be parking in those spaces as well as the hotel guests, staff, restaurant patrons, cooks and servers of the proposed inn and bistro.
Subsequently, the many locals who now use the town’s lots will be forced to find parking elsewhere in Lower Gibsons, which can be difficult, especially in tourist season.
Gibsons council should not sell or rezone the town’s valuable historic “parking” property for the sake of another condo development in Lower Gibsons. Not to mention the anticipated traffic in and out of a garage on the 21 per cent grade School Road, which is pretty dangerous as is!
There are six different ways vehicles enter that corner already:
Marine Drive / Government Dock / Molly’s Lane / School Road / Gibsons Way / and Gower Point Road...with no lights and pedestrian crosswalks! Pretty scary thought!
Terri Murphy, Greg Grant
Lower Gibsons
