Letter to Editor from Annemarie Watts

Posted by Annemarie Watts on October 15th, 2012 9:26am

The following letter was sent to us by a local concerned resident. It echoes our thoughts on the affect the mine will have on Kamloops' image and brand as the Tournament Capital and a healthy, sustainable, vibrant community - an image that is important to a great many residents of Kamloops.

My name is Annemarie Watts and I have been a resident of Kamloops for 20 years. I have seen a very unique and positive change in this community over these years.

When I first moved to Kamloops this town was labeled a "pulp mill" community. Over the years however, we have worked hard to change that image and are now known to be the "tournament capital" of Canada as well as a national champion in blooming communities.

I have personally contributed thousands of hours in volunteer time with high school and community sports. I have coached soccer, track, basketball, and volleyball over these past 20 years. Over the years I have admired how this community developed a long term plan to support athletics, with new facilities being build and programs implemented, we are a true sporting town!

All this will be taken away if the AJAX mine comes to Kamloops. We will lose the "tournament capital" image as this will be replaced by the "mining town" image.

If you look across BC, we can all name the communities that have mines, we call them mining communities. No matter what else happens in those towns, the label stands. Is this what we want for our sporting community? I sure do not. Kamloops will be forever seen as a mining town, sport will be secondary, how sad this would be after all that has been accomplished.

I do not need to wait for the environmental assessment, the process should never have been initiated in the first place given the location of the Mine site.

It is the image and label that comes with a mine that concerns me most. Kamloops is worth more than that to me. Kamloops is a sporting community, a tournament capital. Do not let this mine change all that.

Sincerely

Annemarie Watts
Kamloops resident

Comments

Dale Macafee on 2012-10-15 15:52:30

Reputation over needed jobs?? What is this High School? I'll take the Jobs/Job thanks.

kyla schaff on 2012-10-15 16:58:10

do are kids not have the right to breath clean air ?

Stacey Ligtenberg on 2012-10-15 23:31:51

Well said Annemarie and I will second this motion!!