None of the owners live on the island, so they are out of touch with islanders.
I am on the island very often and have spoken to many people at length. I am not the owner but they entrust me to take this forward with my understanding and my approach. (Candy Ho, COB)
The land at the Cape is overpriced, the owners are in trouble because they can’t sell any.
That is not true. We intentionally saved all this contiguous land because we always wanted to provide a better plan. We did not put estates on market in order to leave potential for this, and I declined many inquiries on estates that were not on market yet… all of them on the southern shore. Also, I have been told many times by our interior owners that we are incredibly well priced and they feel very blessed to have found us. (Candy Ho, COB)
“How about if the COB puts together an information page on their website about what they need from an economic point of view and how that affects their plan.”
“Given that there were mistakes made from all sides, maybe something better is possible if we try again. Open hearted.”
“I have no doubt that Candy is a lovely human being… When someone (whether it’s a person or a developer in this case) wields that much power and influence over a community they need to be held to a higher degree of responsibility than just your average person.”
“The leaked prospectus made us very angry. It was bad judgement – somebody screwed up with the release. They can blame people but the wording and the content shocked us – professing a positive relationship with the community that just didn’t exist. Afterwards the COB didn’t acknowledge the issue or apologize. The statement that the community is changing to be more in favour of development is just a bunch of horseshit. The fact that it was released during the election – with negative impact – was even worse.”
In the Fall 2018 brochure the COB misrepresented the comments of several prominent islanders to make it seem they would personally support a rezoning at the Cape.
“They cannot be trusted – the leaked prospectus was just the latest example. How they compromised several people and almost made them lose the election.”
If you don’t trust the current owners, this may be a way to get owners you do trust, because they will have no choice but to support zoning that appeals to islanders, and they want to sell.
“They want to make a community that doesn’t have anything else to do with the rest of the island. They want to create their own isolated, wealthy community.”
“If you don’t follow the money you don’t have the story. Who are the actual owners?”
“It will take more than words to convince me that they are sincere. And the simple fact is that increasing the population in the area is no way to preserve habitat.”
“But I don’t trust them. Look at what they’re doing with the docks. Total disregard for the intertidal area. Suing us. They can’t say that was just private owners because they all put in one on their own properties as well.”
“Cape on Bowen has zero credibility when it talks about the environment. The logging it carried out after the last rezoning decimated and fragmented the area.”
“Another ‘token’ of goodwill could be to repair Whitesails and part of Tunstall Blvd roads that have been used so extensively to develop The Cape and are deteriorating and currently the Muni has no plans to pave… (this would also benefit Cape owners as they drive down it too.)”
“I acknowledge history and I own mistakes on behalf of our shareholders but look at opportunities in the present, to create a better future, to make new history that we can all be proud of. The more people engage and participate, the more the island’s residents can know they had a hand in creating a proud legacy for all.” (Candy Ho, COB)
The COB wants to act with openness and transparency. Involvement of the community in vetting the draft plan gives the opportunity to challenge and disprove anything that rings false. (COB)
“I want to register my support and hope for everything you [Candy Ho] have expressed here [in a Facebook thread]. Thank you for your transparency and willingness to create something that we can all benefit from. I look forward to discussing this further.”
“If they’re not willing to make a significant “peace offering” without any conditions or strings … something of real value to the community, something irrevocable and immediate (not a promise for the future) … the best physical outcome in my estimation is status quo. They’ve already destroyed the best part of the Cape.”
[The owners could improve the relationship] “if they wanted to do equal amount of [market and] affordable housing or invest in infrastructure of the island.”
