Few people, it seems, want a development near where they live. This community has seen two major initiatives blocked by local residents and now it seems a third, the planned condominiums behind the Anglican Church, will suffer the same fate.  Several years ago the construction of a swimming pool at the Community Center was blocked by a group of citizens who felt the annual cost of operating it would be too much for the finances of the Town of Brome Lake. Most of the construction costs were to have been provided by a local charity. Now with the influx of new and younger members of the population and the difficulty in obtaining times at the pool in Cowansville, comes the realization that we could use our own pool. 

The second project blocked was NuHab, now Dunham House, which planned a residence for people with addiction problems. Scare tactics meant it lost the zoning referendum. 

Now the condos behind St. Paul’s Anglican Church are being described as “Condos on the Millpond” in a flyer passed around town. No mention is made that the money from selling the land will go to funding the local church. The size of the project is in fact half what the opponents’ flyer says it is. There are other errors and exaggerations. 

Everyone is entitled to question development. But in a small community it is perhaps better to deal with the facts rather than try to win the argument with hyperbole.