If anyone is wondering why Sidney’s merchants are suddenly becoming more vocal, I direct you to the comments of Sidney Councillor Mervyn Lougher-Goodey in the June 27 PNR task force article.
I am sure the owners of the 41 retail stores that closed since the recession hit, are mortified by those comments. This, coupled with Coun. Kenny Podmore’s assertion in a recent letter to the editor that business is “significantly up from the same time last year” and calling our concerns and statements ‘doom and gloom’. I assure you it is not the small businesses who are ‘significantly up’.
After reading these statements in the press, I am very happy that this is an election year.
We know that the Sidney residents love the small shops and what we have to offer. We do not want them to think we don’t appreciate them. We are so very thankful that you shop local.
All we are saying is that we need help.
Erin Middlebrooks
Sidney