Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Doug Collins

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: More fodder for the critics of City Hall

Mar 30, 2022 | 4:34 AM

THE CLOSING OF THE DOWNTOWN McDonald’s will no doubt create fodder for the people who are clamoring for change in the October civic election.

Their concerns have some merit, but the problems are not the fault of City Hall.

The Council has been working on a number of solutions, but the problems are not isolated to Kamloops, as some of these people would suggest. They would have you believe that simply changing council members will provide the answer. Such simplistic answers show that these are not the type of people we want in office.

Virtually all communities, large and small, face the same problem and are trying to find the most appropriate way to come to grips with it.

Prince George, Williams Lake, Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton, Red Deer, Winnipeg, they’re all in the same boat as Kamloops. In bigger centres, more of the same. Watch the stories out of Seattle. There’s a real problem trying to preserve the downtown.

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When I was young, my mom and dad used to take us downtown in Vancouver to shop at Woodward’s. I always used to love walking through the Army and Navy store nearby. Decades later, it’s one of the biggest eyesores in the country.

Some of what the Internet trolls are calling for have some limited value. I think we all agree we have to listen to each other more. We have to understand that “homeless” covers a wide range of people, suffering from a number of different problems, all of which have to be treated differently.

It’s a problem that isn’t going to go away soon. But I urge critics to quit sniping from the sidelines and become part of the solution, not part of the problem.

McDonald’s felt safety was becoming a concern. They did what they thought they had to do. They may not be the last to leave. That’s sad to see. But it’s all part of a rapidly-changing society, and it’s going to require some change, some money, and some compassion and understanding.

Let’s hope we’re up for the challenge.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.