This meeting held on a Wednesday evening was in a packed room and chaired by the DBIA chair David Cable. David did an excellent job and for an accountant he certainly had a masterful grip on all the engineering issues. After considerable discussion, which included many opinions about the previous efforts of the Town's engineering department (not much admiration there), the question was put, "How do you want this project done?" The answer was unanimous: "The fastest way possible and work around the clock if necessary and make sure you start as early in the season as you can!" For people highly dependent on traffic any loss of flow creates obvious problems. David was charged with the task of telling Council the merchants' opinions. He is still waiting for real answers.

In a recent opinion piece in the "Saturday Star" Mr. Bill opined that the only impediment to progress in this project is the political will of Council to translate the DBIA's stand into practice. This requires a political understanding by Council and an overarching desire by the Engineering Dept. to satisfy. In both cases Mr Bill discerned a lack of enthusiasm. I agree but will go one step further. It is not good enough to prepare to lay the blame for anticipated failure on the Council and the Engineer. An enthusiastic executive and a highly knowledgeable chair lead the DBIA. The membership has to back them up. In my observations of the operation of the DBIA, from its inception some twenty years ago, the pattern has always been the same as any other membership organisation - operational apathy. The members have always been the weak link in this membership organisation. Now that's normal. But this year the executive deserves more. They need the constant support and encouragement from the membership. "Membership has responsibility" an old cliché but still a good maxim.

Everybody in this Town has an opinion about the way Downtown should work, look and act. I am no different and I am going out on a limb to suppose that Downtown represents the greatest financial investment opportunity for anybody with a business/retail idea. Property values are dirt-cheap, location is terrific and in comparison to other places taxes are reasonable. All anybody needs is an idea. So go on Downtown and start your own business! But to get back to the present what needs to be seen now is what the new Downtown is going to look like. And who should be designing Downtown? Certainly not the Engineering Dept. we do not need straightline conventional thinkers on this job. We need visionaries, we need to hear from the people down town, we need to hear from the customers, we need an open design process. Anyone with a piece of paper should be canvassed for ideas. Hold a street design competition, I know the idea has been suggested, just get on with it.
Back to the Journal