Dear Editor,

We have been residents of Fort Langley for about 18 years. We moved here because of the uniqueness of the village, the existence of a true community, and also the heritage flavour and history of the area.

We were born and raised in Vancouver, and over time, found our home area changing, in the name of progress and development. We moved further out to Burnaby, then more change. We moved further out to Surrey, still more change.

We moved further out to our home in Fort Langley.

We beg of council to not change the existing heritage bylaws - we don't want to be forced to move again.

The proposed Coulter Berry Building, which will be just the first to challenge the heritage bylaws, does not in any way fit in with Fort Langley. That belongs in False Creek, New Westminster Quay, or other newer developments.

It would stick out like a sore thumb. It does not fit and we do not want it.

Rather than bring business to the area, it could do the opposite, by driving away the tourists that flock to our community in every season. They come to see the history, the heritage, and get a taste of the Birthplace of B.C., not the newest building monstrosity that can be built to look like a heritage building but falls far short of the mark.

There are many other areas in the Lower Mainland that offer that. No area offers what Fort Langley does. We're unique and we want to stay that way.

Dave and Kim McFadden, Fort Langley