Correspondence from Melissa Murray - Support for Project

From: Melissa Murray Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 3:21 PM To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca Subject: Helmcken and Burnside Development

Hi Mayor and Councillors,

I hope this letter finds you all well during these strange and unprecedented times.

I am writing to inform you of MY 100% SUPPORT for the high density development Eagle’s Nest planned for the property at Burnside and Helmcken. Last summer a couple of residents of 15 Helmcken came knocking at my door. They presented their take on the development and I replied that I wasn’t sure what to think but I would like to be “in the loop” as to how this progresses. They advised me to “sign up” and then I would get all the details via mail and email. It now appears that my signature was used in a petition AGAINST the development! That is NOT what I was interested in doing. I am fully in support of such a development and understand that affordability is of utmost importance to the community and the development of our community. This whole “I already have a house, so I don’t want any more neighbours/not in my backyard (now that I have one!)” mentality is toxic and blocking development does nothing for our community but create hate, divide and unsustainable expenses for our community as a whole. When these ladies arrived at my door (with babies strapped to their chest no less!) I felt pressure to agree with them, as they stared me down and complained about traffic on Helmcken (in the midst of a major construction project down the road at Mackenzie/TCH) and being squashed between the Eagle Creek development and now this. I stated again that I was unsure about it but they said “oh, that’s ok, we’ll just get your info and keep you informed”. So I thought sure that sounds great. I definitely didn’t want my name used against it! And I have thought about this encounter many times since these ladies left my driveway, today the letter I received a letter that said I signed against this development, I feel they definitely misrepresented themselves at my door that day! My husband is in construction and in order to pay my bills I need to have him working on developments just like this one! This project will bring jobs to our neighbourhood! My View Royal is diverse and inclusive but these neighbours seem to think it is exclusive and only for them, with no room to add more to our neighbourhood but the true reality is that with inflation and now a Pandemic on our hands, unemployment at an all time high, single family homes are just no longer affordable at all or even as desirable for many family’s looking to join our community. If we don’t grow our community where will people live? How will the roads get improved? How will we create more infrastructure and amenities/shopping for the residents? More parks? I don’t like my taxes being raise year over year exponentially, so the more people we have paying taxes the less I have to pay, right? Did anyone even read the View Royal OCP? This was published in September 2011 and includes this region, the northern gateway to View Royal as a higher density development site? So now that they live here they want to change that? They did not do their due diligence, that is on them, don’t like it? Then move somewhere else and make sure that you have read the community plan and you do understand what can/will be happening in your neighbourhood long term! Honestly, it’s been in the plans since before you got here.....

This development that is being presented by Invictus seems very reasonable to me and my family and I would welcome all new neighbours to our community with open arms! One thing my husband and I would like to see added to the plan and in the area is another restaurant, we feel this corner would be a key location for for a ground floor restaurant/pub similar to that of the Holiday Inn on Wale Rd in Colwood, or Eagle Creek Village(which seems pretty full already with no retail spaces large enough to accommodate a sit down restaurant/pub anymore) or even like those at Uptown, though we acknowledge those are all office above and not residential. My husband and I listened to the live stream of the developers taking about the changes they made this round and both thought it was well done and thought out, and within the expectation of the OCP, also now with the purchase of the rural land behind Eagle Creek Village to add to our parks, this is a perfect location for higher density and the park space will offer loads of opportunities for families and friends to enjoy within steps of this development! I would like to have my name removed from this petition that they presented. And I would also like to know how to reach out to others who were possibly misinformed and/or misinterpreted what they were signing. As I’m sure you have not received a ton of letters in support, I just thought I really should reach out, with my thoughts on this and let you know I support the developers desire to grow our wonderful community. I truly appreciate all the hard work the council does, I’m sure it’s a thank less job, so THANK YOU!

Sincerely, M. Murray 37 Camden Ave.

P.S- The email address provided in the letter from these neighbours, encouraging us all to contact council is wrong. I’m glad I did my due diligence to confirm that this letter would end up in the right hands...