Government Street needs thorough wash
A year ago I wrote about the filthy, gum ridden, seagull stained streets of our downtown area. I received an immediate reply from the mayor, Lisa Helps saying that the city was aware of the problem and was purchasing a power washing unit to solve this problem. So far nothing has happened. The lovely pedestrian streets of Europe with their outdoor cafes are cleaned nightly and reflect that attention. Our pedestrian street is a disgrace.
Anne Bell
Victoria
How their words are heeded
It has little to do with nice Bonnie Henry or stern Minister Dix, but more to do with how their words are heeded.
It is almost heresy to say the least negative remark about our provincial health officer — she has been de facto premier for the past few months .
And she is most often on target with her remarks if sometimes a little condescending. The slavish adherence to heath information that is almost changing daily is also a risky business.
The latest COVID-19 numbers for B.C., third largest daily increase this week since the virus arrived, shows only too clearly that it is the public that must take hold of the advice and practice common sense behaviour.
Canada as a whole and B.C. as well need more testing as well as more contact tracing , evidenced by the fact that the province has just now increased the number of people that will be doing contact tracing .
It might be useful to remind ourselves that virus incidence in B.C. is not the lowest of any province, and that as a country our testing rate is lower that the U.S. testing rate. According to worldometers.info, the U.S. is testing at a rate of 204,000 per million population and Canada at 121,000.
Of course, that is not to say that B.C. has not done well up to now but it is to indicate that we may have been a little complacent given our performance vis a vis the bigger provinces, ignoring perhaps the urban concentration of say Greater Toronto which has 5.9 million people, which is larger than B.C.’s total population of 4.6 million and more than double Metro Vancouver.
Brian Peckford
Parksville
Keep Ocean Blvd. closed to cars
I would like to say how very much I and others are enjoying the Ocean Boulevard and Esquimalt Lagoon now that barriers block it from being used as a thoroughfare. Other walkers agree with me that with no cars to avoid, just being there is a peaceful and lovely experience.
I understand that a referendum about keeping it that way was voted on and the cars won out with the result that in September the barriers will be removed and drivers will once again push us park users, walkers, joggers and cyclists to the edges of the road.
Much as I hate using the word in ANY context, commuters should NOT trump families; parks are for people not cars — particularly as this one is also a bird sanctuary. It isn’t as though commuters have no other route to take and no other choice to make.
Everyone I’ve spoken to is just loving the way things have been since the barriers went up and I would like to call for a second referendum to be presented, this one with a lot more publicity than last time, and I think you would find the end result to be in favour of peace and quiet, not for pollution, noise, speeding and verbal abuse.
Please reconsider.
Doreen Langmead
View Royal
Python was heading for Oak Bay
Re: “Missing python found hiding under vehicle,” Aug. 13.
The snake was obviously heading for Oak Bay. We have the juiciest rats in the region.
Chris Foord
Oak Bay
What the premier actually said
Re: “Vandalism needs to be condemned,” letter, Aug. 13
I’m sad to see another letter from an Albertan who has told been told “fake news” in regards to our premier’s statement about out-of-province plates. It includes wrong information about what John Horgan said, as well as other inflammatory statements.
Our premier welcomes our fellow Canadians from Alberta.
I listened to what he said and he berated any British Colombians acting with hate towards visitors and is very sympathetic towards anyone being subjected to harassment. After many statements like this, he mentioned that as an alternative to avoid being vandalized and harassed, visitors could use public transit and newly arrived residents need to update their vehicle registration. I feel the letter writer already had a bias against the premier and used this misinformation against him and I would like to correct that.
Roberta E Sheridan
Victoria
It’s more than just the mayor deciding
It is always with great amusement that I read letters to the editor, or articles, berating various elected officials. Lately, the flurry has been over the Richardson bike lanes.
Lisa Helps, as mayor of Victoria, has been on the receiving end of much of the criticism.
I don’t live in Victoria, I don’t vote for their city council, but I would remind the various objectors: Mayor Helps is not a one-person council. Victoria city has nine elected councillors (eight plus a mayor).
Any motion before council, the nasty bike lanes included, need a majority. For all the bike lane development in this city it has been just that: a majority of council voted in favour.
On the most recent bike lane additions, namely Richardson, only two councillors voted against it (Young and Thornton-Joe). That means the mayor alone was not responsible, but seven of the elected council thought it was a great idea. And it doesn’t stop there.
Mayor Helps was not alone in pursuing the rapid bike lane growth in the city. Believe it or not, there is a staff at city that consults and advises. In fact, in the fall of 2019 there was a call for input on the Richardson bike lanes by that very staff.
I’m not a defender of Mayor Helps, just a mere observer. But with just a few moments of your time, a Google search lets you uncover the fascinating world of municipal politics and the voting patterns of all the current council members on the bike lane additions.
I think you may well be surprised to see just who has been variously opposed or in favour. So remember, this is how democracy works — on every level of our government. It’s not a one person show.
BD Young
Victoria (sort of)
People are feeling stressed and fearful
Re: “Amid pandemic, hate is the dominant emotion being expressed,” comment, Aug. 13.
Whilst not saying Victoria, you are in the local paper! How about fear, stress, anxiety and being depressed. You are forgetting during this pandemic we worked together, volunteered, and donated.
If fear and anxiety are projected as anger, you have translated to hate to stop the democratic right to express how we are feeling. Many have lost income, family members and dealing with huge demands on their emotional wellbeing. Long months of lockdown and giving up all our old norms.
Only now to see abuse of our green space, and not even feeling safe in our homes. Even with our personal safety, we cannot take it for granted any more..
Lorraine Stundon
Victoria
In search of peace and quiet
I am wondering where I can go to find peace and quiet because the parks and beaches are inundated with irresponsible pet owners and their unleashed dogs. It’s not that I dislike dogs but I don’t know their dogs and when they come running up to me, sometimes jumping up on me, I do get afraid.
In these times of COVID-19, I need to de-stress in nature and it seems so unfair that I can’t do that without feeling uncomfortable and sometimes afraid.
The dogs also chase and frighten shore birds, which is upsetting to watch.
Then there is also the issue of many plastic dog poop bags that I come across either sticking out of the sand, thrown in the bushes or, worse, into the ocean and lakes.
Anne Forbes
Victoria
Make sure your car’s wheel nuts are tight
When I read about the car that lost a wheel because somebody loosened the wheel nuts, I was shocked. But I also wondered how the driver didn’t notice the problem.
A number of years ago a friend of mine rotated his tires and forgot to snug up the nuts on one wheel. Due to the noise coming from the loose wheel he quickly pulled over and discovered the issue.
Whenever you hear odd noises coming from your car, don’t ignore them. Wheel nuts can come loose for a number of reasons, or it could be a wheel bearing failing, both of which could result in you losing a wheel.
So when you hear weird noises, stop and figure out why or call a professional. Ignoring such noises never ends well.
S. I. Petersen
Nanaimo
Email: letters@timescolonist.com
Mail: Letters to the Editor, Times Colonist, 2621 Douglas St., Victoria, B.C. V8T 4M2
