Under the avalanche of high rise buildings and construction that will soon cover the new Grandin shopping plaza, there are a few faint voices still attempting to be heard. In the noise and haste of shaping this development into an attractive high density urban business and residential area, the voices of those small business owners challenged to find new manageable rental accommodation will become increasingly muted. More tax revenue for the city, upscale accommodations and modern facilities for new residents and business ventures will easily win over the community to the conventional wisdom of what real progress should look like. Those who cannot keep pace with this modern St. Albert Amacon Jewel (?) will just have to move out of the way, wave to the machinery going by and try to breathe in as little dust as possible.
It need not be this way and here are a few options to consider.
Those businesses that have paid rent for their space in Grandin Plaza for a number of years have helped defray some of the expenses of Amacon during the years of the plaza’s decline. Yes the rent was reasonable and helped sustain a business that provided a living for a family and a service for the community. For Amacon to say that they, as a good corporate citizen, have done their part by providing sufficient time for these business owners to vacate and re-establish is a typical response that many will say is fair in the competitive world of business and the marketplace. That’s just the way the world works and anyone who doesn’t buy into this thinking has a distorted view of reality. I challenge this market driven conventional world view of the way the world works and believe that we are led to believe that this is what our reality is and should be rather than what it could become.
Why cannot Amacon exercise an increased sense of social responsibility in their business culture by including into their development costs and budget an amount that will help these small business owners transition into accommodations of increased rental costs? With a little goodwill given in the form of a refund, even for a minimum of one year, these small business owners would be more able to adjust to the doubling of their new rents. This would not only help the community retain the service that these businesses provide, it may also help ensure a family’s livelihood. I believe Amacon owes these small business owners no less.
As for city council, I am certain there is good will they can also share with these small businesses in the form of adjusting certain fees and expenses.
As decision makers and representatives for the community, council also has the responsibility of advocating, negotiating and representing the welfare of these businesses with Amacon so that St. Albert will continue to be served by those who have worked hard and have proven their value to our city.
I believe our community and city council owes these small business owners no less.
Wilf Borgstede, St. Albert
