Benchlands
I need to express my concerns regarding the last three Official Community Plan meetings held at the city hall regarding the Benchlands.
There have been a lot of things said regarding the Marysville Benchlands and our community. The first meeting I attended in October 2017 was stating what council wanted to do with the Benchlands. It was said that this particular area was to be zoned as light industrial with a ten acre parcel to be sold. The next meeting I attended in November 2018 the parcel of land being discussed was now to be sold in ten one acre lots and zoned “mixed”. This meant that the area was going to be zoned as light industrial, commercial, commercial with residential (like our downtown core) and residential. I don’t see how this can be considered as an Official Community Plan. It’s NOT.
It was stated at one of the meetings in December that Kimberley has only service industry jobs to offer, people earning minimum wage and that we need to bring in more light industry so people can make better wages. Service industry jobs are a necessity for a FOUR SEASONS TOURISM TOWN to survive.
Are we forgetting about all the people working in Kimberley who ARE making a decent wage? We have the employees of the City of Kimberley, Skookumchuk Pulp, East Kootenay Regional Hospital, the College of the Rockies, the School District for both Kimberley and Cranbrook and all the construction companies in both Kimberley and Cranbrook. We also have doctors and lawyers who work in Kimberley as well. It was also stated that when Cominco was here that the average wage was $100,000.00. I believe that statement is a very inaccurate comment.
I don’t know what the City of Kimberley’s Mayor and Council are trying to fix when it comes to Kimberley’s economy. Schools are full and portables are being brought in. Houses are being built all over the community. Houses are worth more now than when Cominco was here (1980’s and 1990”s).
Some people on our council were not around when our quaint town of Kimberley was going through its growing pains of Cominco eventually closing. Hence the reason why Kimberley became “The Bavarian City of the Rockies. TOURISM was Kimberley’s main focus to keep our town from dying. The hard work and dedication from previous Mayors and Councilors and everyone else involved making Kimberley a FOUR SEASON’S DESTINATION has PAID OFF. Kimberley is thriving more than ever. People are moving here because of Kimberley’s quality of life NOT its industry. We are a bedroom community and there is nothing wrong with that!!!
Back to my point on industry, I am for industry in Kimberley but it needs to fit into Kimberley’s lifestyle and in the appropriate ALREADY designated industrial sites. The Marysville Benchlands is NOT that site. Industry does not need a view!!! If the City of Kimberley wants industry here so bad, why can’t they direct any potential buyers for light industry to other properties that have been sitting stagnant for years??? Why does the City have to sell them the property??? Why the Marysville Benchlands??
Thank you
Katherine Smith