A response to Jane Toller’s letter: Pontiac needs industry – Sept. 20, 2023
I found your [Toller’s] comments in your letter to the Pontiac Journal interesting. You mentioned that it is especially “new people” in the area who want to keep the Pontiac as a “wilderness and beautiful ecotourism area with nothing but cycling, kayaking and enjoying nature”, which is absolutely true! But you are saying the Pontiac needs industry to create jobs and economic development. We moved here to get away from industry – especially large garbage incinerators. But it is not just us “new” residents, I have talked to several residents that have been here for many decades that want this too.
I met a wonderful lady who has a small fruit farm in Waltham. She shared a beautiful dream for an agritourism plan on her farm. Why not, instead of bringing industry to the Pontiac, focus on developing eco and agritourism. This can also create a lot of jobs and economic development! There are already many with the dream here that could use the support from their local representatives.
And dare I say, the Pontiac already has a reputation as a beautiful wilderness area to cycle, kayak and enjoy nature? Not such a bad reputation to maintain, don’t you think?
Nicole
Chapeau
