Dear editor,

The 6th Street pedestrian/cycling bridge is getting lots of attention.

While the crossing may not be essential per se, the debate around it serves as a platform for residents to decide what kind of community we want to be.

We have a cost of living crisis in this country. Real estate prices are among the highest on the planet.

We also have a homelessness issue raging across the nation which is evident locally. The grocery carts and associated debris are hard to miss. The root cause of drug use and mental illness offers no easy solution.

The bridge on the other hand will be an infrastructure addition to the community. It will offer an additional safer pathway for non-motorized vehicles.

There is resentment with the use of city coffers to build infrastructure. I pose a question to the community: if construction of a bridge that will improve safety and encourage emissionless transport a bad idea, what would be the ramifications for the community on spending it elsewhere?

The cost of living crisis is a national issue with the root cause being a supply and demand predicament created largely by federal government policy. What would $3 million of local money do?

We all feel for homelessness in our community but what are the implications of providing free homes to drug-addicted individuals? Would others flock to our communities for free housing? Do we want to become a smaller version of San Francisco?

The Comox Valley has changed dramatically since I moved here in 2015. I think it is time the residents start asking questions on what kind of community we want to have for our families and particularly our children.

Earl Jovanowski,

Courtenay