Dear Editor: I was extremely disappointed to read the heel-dragging taking place within city hall regarding the proposed arcade. We have someone wanting to bring a fun and exciting business to our downtown core, and he is being hindered by a ban put in place in our city over 20 years ago, because of noise and rowdiness, and that he may want to serve alcohol, particularly for special events. This is a textbook example of regulation and red tape hindering business.
In the past 20 years, the clientele of arcades has completely changed, and complaints in the past are no longer relevant, especially in our downtown. Mr. Eyers has a viable plan to produce a high-quality arcade in our area. No city other than Vancouver has something similar.
We had a real opportunity here to bring in a business to the group in our city who are consistently underserved – adults in our city who have no children and are not seniors.
We try to be like Vancouver in a lot of ways – bike lanes, public art installations, even trying to get restaurants that people will come from outside our city to come and visit. Too bad we’re trying to compete with them for “no-fun city,” too.
Giuliana Graves, New Westminster
