Dear Editor
In reference to "City pushes for downtown professional services: (Regional Optimist, May 6), I was disappointed to read how out of touch city council was to agree with city administration in disallowing a zoning change to allow a doctors' office for nine doctors to be established in the former Wilson and Zehner Funeral Home building.
I do not know who the doctors are. Are they the present doctors from the Primary Health Centre, a glorified doctors' office, or from the Fisher Mall on 100th Street? Are they nine new doctors or nine already independently established doctors in the city who want to locate together to establish a better practice in the community and make family life better for themselves and their families?
For council to vote against with the rationale that it is not believed to be a good location for a business of this type because it is out of the way and has poor public transportation is an inappropriate zoning vote. This type of vote should pertain only to how the proposed business affects the existing zoning and existing economics of present businesses and not the economics of the proposed business.
If council's logic was the case the city's multipurpose complex would never have been built where it is, with or without necessary zoning requirements.
Does council know how close the funeral home property is to the newly constructed assisted living facility in Fairview or River Heights Lodge? Does council realize the aging population of our existing physicians in the community? Or do certain members of council not intend to be living in the community in 20 years or think they or their family members may need a physician at that time?
I am 62 years old and have lived here all my life and have seen doctors come and go, especially younger ones with young families.
With the present demand for doctors in all communities, we have to do all that is possible to not only recruit but retain these professionals to show them we want not only them but their families as valuable members of the community.
Denying them an office to practice in is not the way. I intend to live at least another 20 years and know I will require a phsycian from time to time evein if I'm in anurinsg home.
Murray R. McMillan
North Battleford
