I've read several letters lately bemoaning industry and other sources of noise in Mission.
Okay folks, here ya go. Mission was built solely for the railroad. The one that moves the goods you want to buy at Wal-Mart. That noisy racetrack keeps a lot of people employed, entertained and young people from careening down the streets at 180 km an hour. It too has been here for many many years.
Regarding the river, I have made my living on it for decades, any increase in barge and tug traffic or short sea shipping will have zero impact on the fish habitat. If it did, the salmon would never enter the Fraser River at the mouth, which is quite congested with marine traffic of all sorts. And I would dearly love to see the tug and barge that can damage a building, commercial or otherwise with their wash.
Regarding the "inevitable barge fires," that one was out of service and being scrapped I believe. Not exactly normal use of a barge. A barge and tug can take hundreds of trucks off the roads, with the same amount of exhaust expelled by one or two trucks. Pretty good for the air quality I would say. And your goods have less shipping costs on them. The Fraser River, was, is and will always be part of the "marine highway." This town was founded by an speculator, for the railroad stop, prospered with forestry and other industry. Trying to replicate the Lonsdale Quay, just isn't going to work. Remember what made Mission, Mission. If you don't like a blue collar town, I'm sure the west end has lots of affordable housing.
D. Campbell