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Pick a place for shelter

Dan Wiley argues that city council should choose a few locations for a potential homeless shelter and have voters make the call

Dear Sir:

It is my opinion that, under the current system, a homeless shelter or other such thing will never get built in Terrace or any place else.  As long as the business owners and residents of an area have the right to protest the location, approval or rezoning by council will never happen.  This means that the concerns of a vocal few outweigh the concerns of the (mostly silent) majority.

A better way would be for council to first agree that a homeless shelter is needed and then let the voters choose between three separate locations.  Which ever one the voters select by plurality would be the location, protests by locals notwithstanding.  The vote could be added to the ballot when councellors are elected.  This is the best and maybe only way to solve the issue.

Dan Wiley

Terrace, B.C.