Goodyear Tire Service 'silently being pushed out'

I had an opportunity to attend the public hearing regarding the Solo District project last night.  The hearing, which gave an opportunity for locals to voice their opinions, brought out a business owner that will be required to move out of the site of the project at Willingdon Ave and Lougheed Hwy.

"We are just silently being pushed out," stated the owner of Goodyear Tire Service which has been on the west side of Willingdon Ave just north of Dawson Street since 1988.  Goodyear Tire has not yet been given a date to clear the premises to make way for the project.  According to the City of Burnaby, although the rezoning of the property will not disqualify businesses such as Goodyear Tire to continue operations there, whether or not they are welcome to be a part of the future development will depend on Bosa Development Corp which will build Solo District.  The owner of Goodyear stated that although he has proposed staying within the new development, Bosa has not responded.  As a result he has been searching for a new site within a 2-3 km radius of the current location.

Goodyear Tire Service has been a sponser of local school programs in Burnaby including an apprenticeship program for BCIT students. The owner left City Council with the following question for consideration as the Brentwood area changes due to the pressures of development; "What happens to industry?"

The question of which types of businesses will fit in and be "compatible" with the transformation of the Brentwood neighbourhood will become more prominent as other businesses find themselves on the outside looking in as they are forced to move elsewhere.