By Paige Hoblak (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: January 25, 2012
A few weeks ago, I was driving to only God knows where when I caught a glimpse of the brightest moon I had ever seen, or so I thought. This intense light enticed me to the point where my attention became focused on it rather than the road; let’s just say my father would not have been impressed by my wandering eyes. As it turns out, this intense light was coming from one of the two neon Hollywood-like signs that recently went up in Abbotsford.
These signs are centrally located and sponsored by Pattison as an advertising project to generate business for local companies, as well as profit for the city of Abbotsford through advertisement. This idea is nice in theory. However, I’m not sure when the city council members and economic developers of this town will realise that we are not the bustling city they are trying to portray us as. We most likely never will be.
The beauty of Abbotsford lives in the silence, the stunning mountains that surround us, and the proximity to Vancouver. Although the local aspect of this once quaint, farming town may be disappearing, I don’t think that sticking neon signs in the midst of it will prove a point in challenging our city’s character. These signs stick out to the point in which it looks like Abbotsford is losing confidence in itself — perhaps entering an identity crisis.
People seem to agree with my thoughts on the digital media signs. I spoke with Abbotsford Director of Tourism Yvonne Hayden, who seemed somewhat unsettled (albeit hopeful) about our current local economic situation. She gave me her perspective on how important it is to support local events such as those held at the Abbotsford Entertainment Centre. I agree with her on this to some extent innot everyone wants to go see a hockey game. Maybe we would have rather seen that money dispersed through a variety of developments to increase the actual level of entertainment and other events in Abbotsford.
Personally, I think Abbotsford would profit if the demographic was studied and city developments were subsequently a more organized. Instead of randomly putting up new buildings that cost a fortune in hopes of generating future profit, the city planners and economic developers should be coming up with a plan—perhaps a survey—in which they ask where taxpayers want their money to go.
To focus on a particular demographic, I find it distressing that youth in Abbotsford have so little to do in this town. They wind up spending their time walking around Sevenoaks mall or drinking themselves into oblivion. My suggestions may sound juvenile or out-dated., but nonetheless, I would love to see a roller rink or a drive-in theatre, or an open performance stage in which held a variety of different shows — from dance to symphony to plays and spoken-word poetry — could be performed. These sorts of things could benefit our city. Maybe not economically, but they could enhance our city’s character without the need for the lights, neon, or identity crisis.
