Dear Editor:
Re: Arts council looks to enhance streets, The Record, Feb. 15.
I read with some interest Rick Carswell's idea presented to city council to dress up the "faded ladies" of New Westminster's numerous vacant commercial properties with art work.
This would create an interesting outlet for the artistic efforts of our vibrant creative community. With the city having given up on attracting new commercial and industrial enterprises, signalled with the non-renewal of the manager of economic development's position, perhaps making silk purses out of sows ears is the only strategy left to do something with New Westminster's overbuilt commercial property inventory.
I note that there is also a move to convert some commercial space to housing use, a continuation of the city's policy of recycling properties, like the old Russell Hotel, to house the homeless.
Like many commercial enterprises, hotels can't seem to make a go of it in New Westminster either, if we inventory all of the hotels that are now converted to other uses or struggling to make a go of it. Hostels and SROs seem to do better.
If councillors Jonathan Cote and Chuck Puchmayr can rally the other "me too" councillors at city hall, there would be a significant side benefit, as well.
The numerous panhandlers up around Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street, identified in Paul Thompson's recent letter, who stand in front of vacant commercial space there, could at least have something uplifting to look at while they harass passers-by.
I gather the pickings are much better uptown than downtown or are the clients on "slap and tickle street" less generous as they buy their wedding dresses or shop at the down-market shops along Columbia Street? I understand many of these enterprises are struggling - some even being in arrears on their city taxes. The departure of the well-healed members of the Westminster Club likely also made it harder to cadge for quarters.
I applaud Rick Carswell's initiative here. Perhaps he should be granted the title of New Westminster's "Mr. Dressup" to compliment his other royal honours.
E. C. "Ted" Eddy, by email
