Skip to content

LETTER: Take advantage of modern technology

The Kootenay Co-op new food store and residential development could be leading our community in regards to modern technology.

The Kootenay Co-op new food store and residential development could be leading our community in regards to modern technology that would reduce the development’s impact on our commons and future generations.

While I agree in principal with the concept of downtown core development, compared to expanding residential development outwards, the development in my mind lacks vision that should be pushing the edge of modern building technology that protect our environment and demonstrates leadership that is not present in our municipal and regional governments.

They are digging for an under ground parking lot but not installing geo-thermal heating.

I have heard they will take excess heat from the various mechanical engines running the Commons.

Good idea but they should not repeat the mistake the City of Nelson and Regional District made when they ignored the original geo-thermo plans for the new swimming pool and ice rink.

At the last minute, a small group of regional and city elected officials vetoed the geo-thermal design.

A few years later the cost of powering these common facilities was breaking the bank.

So up go prices of a swim and skate. They then spent a quarter of a million dollars on a study to gleen heat from the mechanics of the building.

The building was not designed with this in mind, so it was good money after bad — but hey, it’s tax payer money who cares. Well, we know who cares.

There should be a geo-thermal powered outdoor rink in front of the current hockey rink that is powered with the same geo-thermal ice making machinery manufacturing ice inside and heating our pool but we don’t because of lack of vision and there is no shortage of that.

This city and other governing bodies should be giving incentives for this kind of technology but we don’t. That is why I encourage the members of the local grassroots food store to have vision beyond the obvious.

 

Tom Prior

Nelson