“If you build it, they will come.”
Someone clearly heard this in their heads as they sat staring at the abandoned Sandown racetrack. But why decide in today’s economic climate to build something so risky?
I’m not gonna say, “look at Uptown and all its vacancies” because North Saanich is a unique venue. It is sometimes hard to gauge how a development will be received until it’s completed.
So that means one of three things.
First, that they truly believe that it will become a destination shopping spot that people will travel to, just based on how awesome it is.
Second, they believe (contrary to evidence) that the economy has rebounded and there is plenty to go around.
Third, and most likely, North Saanich wants to siphon off some of Sidney’s business. The site sits almost on the border of Sidney.
Convenient, no?
Noel Gagnon
Sidney