Dear Editor:

In response to Andrea Meadus letter on the major needs of the tourism industry in the valley, I have to agree with you. I too believe that tourism needs serious help to improve in our area. But we do need an economic development officer to put another arrow in the quiver of local job prospects.

By all means, keep tourism. Improve tourism, but let us step things up a notch or two. Let us show leadership to increase the attractive work conditions here in the valley. Let us as a community work to help the broken arrow that is tourism. Along with volunteering and giving back to the community as we have done for decades, lets make the valley vibrant economically and a destination for establishing employment opportunities and vibrancy.

Our councils have shown in the past, they dont have the skills or the time necessary, given that there are store fronts empty in both communities. There are folks moving away to find jobs to support their families and hundreds of homes and condos for sale, plus many For Rent signs.

With an Economic Development Officer helping councils we can fill the store fronts, take down the For Rent signs and purchase the homes for sale. But without the skills and training the officer would bring, it is going to take a long time before this is again a vibrant community.

Others can deal with tourism problems, there are resources aplenty, but a Development Officer deals with attracting new businesses with the help of councils. It is up to councils to work together to do so. Their responsibility is to make our communities attractive to new business. The domino effect of that cash flow is stupendous for everyone in our valley.

David Pacey

Radium Hot Springs