Would supercenter change look of city?

Editor,

How can those of you with a good, honest conscience look around and say a Wal-Mart supercenter will change the look of Polson? Have you looked at town as you come in on 93 over the bridge? Look toward the area where the old Ranch Supper Club was once — condos all the way down. Soon, from what I have heard, they will be all around the corner on the Kerr Dam corner on Seventh Ave. They might have a lot of trash to move there. When we moved here in 1960, that was the garbage dump — right over the bank.

As you head out over the bridge, what do you see? More condos. At a million plus, everyone in Polson who is able to do so is thinking condos. Big bucks, who cares about those of us who have lived here for years? More condos will be going in when the apartment complex by the library is demolished. Where are those people going to live? I've also heard there is a rumor of condos going in across from Super 1 where the trailer park was. Not to mention the new development that is supposedly going in off 93 North on the other side of the bridge. It's rumored hundreds of houses are going in.

Recently I was talking to a friend at a local business and I said I sure hope the supercenter goes through. She said she didn't think we needed something so big and why. My reply was for people like me. I am a 73-year-old, who although 15 or 20 years ago I drove all around Missoula and Kalispell, the traffic in both cities is more than I care to face. It has increased so much it is awful and I know many others who feel the same way.

When my husband died in 1990, I went up to the cemetery often. I still do. Usually I drive around the outside road. His grave is east of the office. I look down over the east side of town. You see the newer golf course, all the new houses, nothing but roofs. None of that was there in 1990. That was when the traffic lights were installed at the junction of 93 and 35. How this place has changed in 16 years.

But, no, if a Wal-Mart supercenter comes in it will ruin the small town we have. How biased is that? That was also the year that Pamida came in and built the present Safeway store. As things are now, when we drive along the river or lake we will be lucky to see the view. We will see roof tops.

There is also the matter of expenses for those of us on limited income. With gas prices approaching $3 a gallon, who wants to drive very far to shop when we could have so much right here at home?

I worked for Wal-Mart for five and one-half years as a people greeter and I loved my job. Where else do you get paid for greeting people and handing out carts? I haven't heard of anyone else giving that courtesy to customers. Unfortunately, due to arthritis, I had to give up my job. I still miss my discount and other benefits as well as the people.

I wish my husband and Sam Walton could have met. They shared a philosophy: Sell a great number of items for a very small profit rather than fewer items for a larger profit. Give the people a break.

My hope and prayer is that the right decision is made.

Darlene Allik

Polson