Reclaiming and restoring the Pandora corridor
Re: “Topaz Park neighbours split over fencing left from camp,” Aug. 20.
As a resident on the Pandora corridor, I was interested to read about the Topaz neighbours’ differing opinions about the “blue fencing.”
We also have the blue fencing on Pandora and from my (and many of my neighbours’) perspective, the blue fencing is keeping us safe and sane after months of chaos. The city is remediating the Pandora medians (and hopefully checking for contamination) but many of us worry that when the fencing comes down, the tents will go up.
One has only to look at the area in front of Our Place to realize that we are within shouting distance of a repeat performance.
The last paragraph in the article indicates that a city bylaw prohibits overnight camping on the Pandora corridor. However, for some reason, despite our many requests in the past for No Camping signage, there is none.
Even before the COVID disaster, we regularly (apart from the dead of winter) witnessed tents being set up on the Pandora medians, but because the campers typically start setting up after 5 p.m., and bylaw officers don’t work after 5, we have no alternative but to call VicPD, who often have more urgent priorities.
As part of the Pandora remediation effort, the city should erect the signs, but also ensure that their planners engage the neighbourhood in reimagining this beautiful oasis in the city in such a way as to encourage its use by the neighbours and discourage camping. Pandora boulevards and medians are the only green space in Harris “Green.” It should be an attractive and safe area for our residents.
How about a small playground and adult exercise equipment?
Carole Small
Victoria
Balancing the group sizes
If school children need larger group sizes then the rest of us must simply choose smaller group sizes. That way the various probabilities can still balance out to keep us all safe.
Malcolm Dew-Jones
Victoria
Teachers need to find a way
For many years, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation has fought for smaller class sizes. Good for them. With COVID-19, there have been no classes — zero class size.
Unlike many, teachers are still getting salaries and benefits. They need to find a way to provide a critical service, as other have done. Thankfully, many others have found a way.
Phil Harrison
Comox
Another formidable task for Freeland
Re: “Working mom knows about juggling jobs,” column, Aug. 20.
Yet again another formidable task for Chrystia Freeland: finance minister; as if Foreign Affairs augmented by NAFTA (CMUSA) and deputy prime minister were not enough.
The Liberals will continue to empower Freeland until they find something she cannot handle, and then relegate her to the back benches; say goodbye Bill Morneau!
I am definitely a fan of Chrystia Freeland.
Harlin Price
Comox
Don’t yell at fellow Canadians
I’m writing because I want to voice my shock and disgust at 2 incidents involving rude remarks and behaviour while my best friend from Alberta was on holiday in Parksville. In both cases they were from my acquaintances. I could almost dismiss the first as it was a one liner after I introduced her. The second I could not dismiss and it really upset both of us. The offender has been witnessed yelling at Alberta plated cars to “go home”. And then she verbally attacked my friend for being here and made us both feel so uncomfortable and unwelcome. We are all concerned but if we do our part to stay safe then we can get through this. If your response is to yell at fellow Canadians and display bad behaviour then I would say this disgusting behaviour makes me wonder what country I’m living in.
CA Matte
Parksville
Hartland expansion details were withheld
Re: “Hartland Landfill expansion plans rile neighbouring residents,” Aug. 16.
Regarding your story on the Capital Regional District’s plans to expand Hartland Landfill by excavating and quarrying over a number of years, CRD staff are reported to have insisted that “proposed changes were shared with residents” during a transparent consultation process.
Yet the excavation and quarrying that is planned was described in the strategy consultation document only as “enhancing Hartland’s disposal capacity.”
Nowhere did it mention that there would be blasting and quarrying, with 12 trucks per hour removing aggregate on a long-term basis, likely for years, trucking it through neighbouring communities to wherever it will be disposed of.
Nowhere did it mention that the current policy of using all aggregate onsite would be overturned. This process is described in a later document, released after the initial consultations, as creating an “opportunity to use this excess material in CRD projects around the region” since more rock will be mined that can be used onsite.
No mention of how much aggregate will be removed, over how long a period or where it will be shipped. If the CRD has this information, it is not being shared with the public. Instead CRD staff seem to be focused on conducting a public relations exercise that releases as little concrete information on the impact of these proposals as possible.
Hugh Stephens
Victoria
Keep your pet snake at home
Re: “Ball python missing again, this time in Saanich,” Aug. 20.
Why on earth is the owner carrying this snake around in his backpack?
Because somebody chooses a ridiculous pet, I see no reason why I should have one moment of worry about the possibility of encountering this snake on the street. Keep your darn pet in your home.
Lynne Parks
Colwood
Appreciation for our PM and premier
We are so lucky here in Canada — and particularly in B.C. — where we have leaders who are doing their best to take care of regular Canadian citizens during the pandemic. In so many other countries, people are left to fend for themselves without any sort of caring or monetary support.
Prime Minister Trudeau has been going out of his way to try to make sure that all citizens are getting the money they need to survive through these unusual circumstances. It makes me very unhappy to see opposition parties not supporting him and doing their best to undermine him and make him look bad. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but he is doing his best to support us all.
He should be getting our encouragement and gratitude rather than having to endure intemperate recriminations from people like Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre. If Poilievre wants to help make things work well, he should make helpful suggestions that could be gratefully acknowledged by the Liberals and then taken into account before final decisions are made. Co-operation among political parties is the only way forward.
In B.C., Premier John Horgan is focusing on providing services to protect health and safety, on giving immediate relief to people and businesses, and on planning for B.C.’s economic recovery over the long term. That’s the right path for our provincial government to be taking and we need to be cheering them on as well.
My best wishes and a heartfelt thank you to both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier John Horgan. We are fortunate to have you in charge.
Jean Jenkins
Saanich
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