Sir: I am writing to comment on two articles in recent Chatham Voice editions, “Variety of feedback from tourism summit,” and “More changes likely with transit system.”
I have moved from the big city to Chatham for a quieter life.
I like your free paper. I browse the articles that are relevant to my life here.
I am and have always been a community person, and participate whenever possible in community affairs, although I don’t as much as I used to.
Reading both articles, I do feel they compliment each other to improve community relations. Tourism attracts new people to live; some will visit and some will move back.
This is an amazing city to retire to. Coming from a larger city, it’s quieter here, and refreshing, and we can find almost everything we need available within reach if you drive.
Unfortunately many individuals have lower income and one reason they move to a smaller community is a matter of survival. If you must get out often, a car is a necessity.
For those individuals whose only mode of transportation is the bus, it’s their salvation to scale back isolation. A good bus service can fill that gap.
A good bus service can be a mode of transportation if you are a visitor to Chatham.
Many can afford the bus but can’t afford the cost of cabs.
When you are on vacation, in a new place, wouldn’t it be great to connect to places by bus and not have to drive to get to know the city?
Bus fares are reasonable. This is a good thing. They are also very reliable.
However, they are not convenient, as they stop too early at night.
I also find customer service from the drivers needs some work.
There aren’t enough bus shelters to protect waiting riders from the elements.
Maybe the shelters could be built by the private sector so the city doesn’t even have to pay for them. The owners could maintain them, keep them clean and advertise on them, so they pay for themselves.
Growing this city, I feel we need to consider transportation – transit – as relevant to growth as good roads, shops, health facilities and so on. I even would consider boat rides on the Thames as an attraction.
There’s room for so much improvement if people started being a little more open minded and started working on selling Chatham-Kent to people.
Barbara Stewart-Fischer
Chatham
