Dear Editor
I too hate the state of the downtown core. I am depressed by the multitude of for sale signs, the homelessness and the disrepair. But I tire of the discussion about who is to blame.
Wasn't it just two years ago that we had letters to the editor by people worried about increased taxes to fund the CUPlex, despite those same people being anxious about loitering and bored young people hanging around downtown convenience stores? Wasn't it just one year ago when City Hall said the physicians at SpesMed would have to build downtown, that we the citizens of North Battleford took out a petition to let them build on the outskirts of town? Wasn't it just last week that Keith Bater of Northwest Community Futures said he would rather not build downtown because there was a certain discomfort expressed by clients about the downtown location? I see they just got approval to build on the outskirts.
Should we need to blame someone for the state of our downtown core we need only look in the mirror.
The more interesting, and important, question than who is to blame, is do we now have the courage and the back bone, to make the tough decisions needed to reclaim our downtown. In the future, will we say to entrepreneurs they need to build downtown knowing at least a few may choose other towns to locate? Are we willing to increase our taxes to pay for renovation (and at times demolition) of decaying buildings? Are we willing to shop downtown even when the big box stores can save us a few cents?
I'm not sure we do. In my 14 years in the Battlefords, I can say that we are some of the kindest, friendliest, warm-hearted people in the country. But we haven't been the most courageous.
Wayne Schlapkohl
North Battleford
