Wal-Mart: Is it really a quality of life?

Editor,

As I drive around the corner on top of the hill on Highway 93 coming towards Polson, I look out over the immense beauty of what my eyes behold. And once again … it takes my breath away. Every time I see our wondrous lake and the view around it,

I am thankful for where I live. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to be able to witness such amazing scenery. I then try to picture in my mind just how it will look if Wal-Mart is able to build at the bottom of the hill. My heart sinks every time.

I just can't imagine, that will be our visitors' first view, such an amazing beauty of the lake and surrounding area and then, just a bit farther, wham! A huge Wal-Mart. Welcome to Polson?

Yes, I understand that Polson is growing and things will change. But does it have to be like "that?" And what about the folks that bought their homes in that area? They trusted in being told it was not commercially zoned. I would think it depreciates the value of their homes as well.

I then thought back to about four weeks ago when I walked into Wal-Mart (yes, I do shop there from time to time) and noticed the food court was taken out. I casually asked an employee about it. This employee then began to tell me that they were getting ready for the move, "'cause it does look like it's going to go through," he commented. So he told me about how the "new store" already had food vendors lined up for a spot in the store, and that there were going to be quite a few vendors. I then thought about how there have been rumors of tire stations, car wash, oil changing stations, gas stations, food mart, etc.

As I thought of these things, I saw the faces of folks that have been in this community for lengths of time. [Folks] that have set up businesses, that have sometimes I'm sure struggled to get ahead, or maybe they are doing well but something big could put them under.

I saw faces of people that worked hard to get where they are in this town. I thought about the ones that work for these businesses as well. Folks that are our neighbors, friends, maybe even our family. I wonder how they will handle such a monstrosity of a business. I thought about the small eateries in town … and how so many have tried to make a stay, and how quickly they turn over.

Will we be condemned to eat at the food courts in the new Wal-Mart because it has forced our other options of eateries to close? Will our needs become centered around Wal-Mart as our choices of businesses are forced to close by not being able to "keep up" with Wal-Mart?

Will our neighbors, friends and family have to apply for work at Wal-Mart because the choices are so limited with businesses closing, positions in the work place being lost due to downsizing employees because of loss of income? Will Wal-Mart become what Polson is all about?

I'm sure lots of folks will come to town to go to Wal-Mart, spend their money at Wal-Mart, gas up at Wal-Mart, eat at Wal-Mart and then go home.

Explain to me again how that helps the community when Wal-Mart gets the business?

Someone wrote in about how the new Wal-Mart would "improve my quality of life." We already have quality of life right here. Heck, Wal-Mart is just a store. Let's not let it become something more then that. We do not need a bigger Wal-Mart. It's just fine the way it is.

Jeanie Siragusa

Polson