GRAVENHURST — The write-up in last week’s Banner concerning the Winewood Variety Store needs some correction. The headline states “Store owners hire lawyer to fight District.”
To set the record straight, Nancy and Jason have had legal representation all along and are not fighting the district, but are trying to save their small business.
Nancy and Jason are doing their best to work with, not against, the district, but have been stonewalled at every turn.
Mr. Park stated the Lees’ case very eloquently at district council two weeks ago. He asked a question: “If this was your small business on the verge of being closed down due to curbs obstructing parking, would you not be upset?”
The article in question has made Jason and Nancy out to be troublemakers. This is so wrong. This variety store has had the same open parking with no accidents since I came to live in Gravenhurst in 1948.
Other businesses have the same type of parking. The district office on Pine Street in Bracebridge has the same parking. Many businesses have open parking where you pull in diagonally and back out. There’s an old saying: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
When the Lees had flooding in front of their store they called everyone they could think of for help. No one showed up until the television station from Barrie came on the scene. There has never been flooding until construction started on the road. Why? Is it possible that the road has been built up and the store is now below road level? If this is the case, and it appears to be, why is there not sewer basins operating?
We live in a small town where we help one another. Instead of making it impossible for the Lees to operate their variety store, let us, the small, insignificant people, speak out and help this hardworking couple.
Vi Brunton, Gravenhurst