Editor:
Re: Craft brewery brings a community together, letter to the editor, May 30
I am writing to commend Kevin Klassen for his thoughtful letter regarding the Four Winds proposal for the Southlands.
I have been employed in the beer industry for over 30 years and as a brewery consultant I have visited more than 600 craft breweries since 2011 working on projects all over the world, mostly in North America.
Time and time again I have witnessed first-hand how craft breweries can revitalize and energize neighbourhoods and communities. Craft beer taprooms are one of the few places these days where people can gather for some good old fashioned face-to-face socialization, unencumbered by technological interruption.
One only needs to spend a few hours at Four Winds in Delta, Persephone in Gibsons, Field House in Abbotsford, Brewers Row in Port Moody or Backcountry in Squamish to pick up the craft vibe which is genuine and heartfelt.
I can say without hesitation and from experience that Four Winds brews some of the best craft beer in Canada and is a local business we should all be proud of. Providing more exposure for them and attracting visitors to Tsawwassen seems like an easy decision.
A craft brewery is about as far from “industrial” as you can get. In most cases they are boutique operations. The very definition of craft suggests this: “an activity involving skill in making things by hand.” The Molson facility in Chilliwack is industrial.
Like Klassen and many others in this community, I sincerely hope the local decision makers do the right thing here.
Joel Hueston
