Dear editor,

It makes me sad to read in the May 15 Letters to the Editor of the Record that someone wants Courtenay city council to turn down federal grant money to build a community beautifying pedestrian bridge at the foot of 6th Street (Resident appalled at decision to build 6th Street Bridge).

I remember a magazine article warning tourists to avoid Courtenay鈥檚 strip mall environment. And I don鈥檛 want that to be our community鈥檚 reputation. I

nstead, I would like to see the city not only put in the pedestrian bridge with help from Ottawa, I am hoping council will work with the businesses (open and closed) in the area to create a 鈥淕reen Zone鈥� that includes not only the bottom of the hill but, also, the businesses that were asking for help in creating a Granville Island environment of the Comox Road/Fifth Street area. We could create a business environment that is a joy for Comox Valley residents and an attraction to Vancouver Island visitors.

Such a community redevelopment would benefit businesses, visitors and residents. We could call it Courtenay鈥檚 Green Zone. Golden, B.C. and Sand Point, Idaho are examples of what could be done.

Given that the city already owns property in the area we could make enough money to have a beautiful city, thriving businesses, and still have money to build a homeless shelter.

Norm Reynolds, Courtenay