Editor,
I need to address something for readers that I see as highly unfair to local businesses that are struggling as we speak. This is in regards to no highway signage/access.
The District of Squamish in all its infinite wisdom decided many years ago there was to be no signage along the sides of the highway going through Squamish in regards to advertising. I remember the original plan for the London Drugs area. There was no access from the highway in the original works. Then suddenly within a two-week period the asphalt had been laid and the signage put in place. What happened to "no highway access"?
Now we have three big businesses being either shut down, in debt or just barely surviving. These three businesses bring tourism in, provide local revenue, provide jobs and provide recreation. Sounds pretty good, eh? Too bad you can't see them till you've driven past them! Signage and access can kill a business as many found out during the Olympics on Cambie Street.
When the Executive Suites was built there should have been a direct access turn off the highway with signage that should have also included that the Garibaldi Springs Golf Course is there, not after you're halfway down the highway and have to hang a U-turn to go back down the highway to figure out where to turn off and then figure out how to get there!
The Holiday Inn is fortunate enough to have the Wal-Mart turnoff but there is no indication anywhere on the highway that the hotel is even there! Not to mention the botched job they did on "grouping" the trees that people were so worried about. It looks worse than before, reminds me of an abandoned factory site. Now it's a tourism eye sore.
Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club has huge billboards up beside the highway. I don't see bylaw officers out there harassing/writing tickets to them about it, like they were doing to businesses downtown. SAM was 'unfair' advertising and they made them take that down. I guess what's good for the goose is not good for the gander in Squamish. Why the sudden favoritism Squamish Mayor and Council? I'm starting to see a lot of favoritism by the current council, I don't like it and its not good for business.
Jason Bechard
Squamish
