Dear Editor,

High praise to the mayor of Surrey, Dianne Watts, who cast the deciding vote to prevent the Casino complex to be built in south Surrey.

One cannot help but respect the mayor's statements that underline the importance of listening to the residents of the area to be most affected.

Ms. Watts said, "Residents in South Surrey are very engaged in their community and they take an active role in how they would like to see the community develop. When you've got that amount of opposition just for the gaming licence, you really have to sit back and take notice."

Why is it that Langley Township council continues to ignore the residents of Fort Langley when they attempt to take an active role in stating how they would like their community to develop, and provide a petition with hundreds of signatures against the Coulter-Berry three-storey design?

If I recall correctly, the opposition to the proposed request for bylaw exception was not about the design, but the height of the building.

It is too bad that, in the past several years, Fort Langley residents have been ignored twice by council when the residents have dared to express their opinions on buildings that impact their community.

Perhaps the Township mayor could ask Ms. Watts to conduct a workshop on listening to your electorate.

After all, she gets it. Township council doesn't.

Jim Deacon, Fort Langley