Hoping Speedway will be silenced
Re: “Langford’s Western Speedway up for sale, but mayor wants racing to continue at site,” March 11.
At long last, there is hope that the noise pollution from the archaic Western Speedway may end. As a resident very near the Speedway since 1991 the deafening ROAR from the Speedway has been a constant irritation that affects every day living during times when the Speedway is active.
On hot summer days, windows must be closed and meals on outside decks of homes impossible, unless you are prepared to shout at the top of your lungs to have a conversation. I am sure when the Speedway was established in 1954 there was minimal to no residential homes in the area. Now, it is a thriving busy commercial, recreational and residential area with some of Victoria’s most desirable homes on Bear Mountain.
Why should the pleasure for a few who enjoy watching noisy vehicles circle around a race track interrupt the lives of thousands of people who live in the surrounding area?
I know I speak for many residents near the Speedway that it will be a huge relief to have a new owner who is more in step with the times, rather than intent on maintaining “ a historic stop of interest.”
The Speedway belongs in the history books, not in our homes and outdoors spaces where we should be enjoying the peace and pleasures of a warm summer’s day.
Mike Boissonneault
Bear Mountain, Langford
Cruise-ship industry should not be targeted
Re: “Feds mull cruise shutdown,” March 10.
Thanks very much, Dr. Bonnie Henry, for blowing up the vacation I had to apply for nearly a year ago, by focusing on the cruise-ship industry because one ship out of hundreds had a problem.
What’s different about a rock concert? An international airplane flight? But no; cruising was selected as the whipping boy.
While Canadians are among the freest of the free and have tons of rights, you do not have the right to expose the public to the danger of infection — therefore, when the government deems it necessary, all your other rights are suspended. But don’t forget to get out and vote, now; that’s not dangerous.
Mark Chapman
Victoria
A reminder that all lives matter
I am troubled by the excessive attention being paid to COVID-19, much of it driven by the media, creating out-of-hand hysteria.
I understand why officials want to contain the virus which, as yet, has no vaccine. But Saturday’s Times Colonist included stories of two local men whose bodies have recently been found. One man had mental-health concerns and another’s death was not suspicious.
Another story reported on a third missing man whose family was concerned for his safety. These are tragic stories, much sadder than people stuck on cruise ships.
In Canada, about 11 people die each day by suicide. Annually, that’s about 4,000 deaths. It is the leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 34. In B.C., about three people die each day of a drug overdose.
Influenza, of various strains, kills about 3,500 Canadians each year.
While untold resources are being injected into COVID-19, let’s not ignore health conditions, such as suicide and addictions, that strike down people in the prime of life.
Shannon Moneo
Sooke
What happened after cancelling a cruise
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have recommended not going on a cruise ship under current conditions, so my husband (who has cancer) and I cancelled our April cruise.
The cruise company has cooperated by offering a future cruise credit. But WestJet is not offering any refunds or credits on our flight on April 3 to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the cruise starts. How can an airline be more concerned about profit than their customers’ health.
Lorie Grover
Ladysmith
Starvation statistic vastly overstated
Re: “Millions are dying of starvation,” letter, March 11.
Just to clarify, six million people do NOT “die from starvation every day” as claimed by the letter-writer. A simple calculation shows that that number would mean over two billion deaths per year.
Not sure where the letter-writer got the statistic, but it is vastly overstated.
Paul McKinnon
Victoria
Shortage of toilet paper delays flight
A week ago, our flight from Cancun to Victoria was delayed for about an hour. Why? Because we were short four rolls of toilet paper and two boxes of tissue.
The tower suggested cancelling the flight, but finally cooperated and sent the items.
R.F. (Bob) Wallace
Oak Bay
Governments should provide a basic income
Governments are looking at ways to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 and encourage workers to stay home from work if they experience flu-like symptoms. At this time of precarious "gig" employment, with no sick leave, that advice may go unheeded when folks are concerned about being able to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.
I would suggest governments implement a modest basic income for anyone concerned.
Recent studies show that not having to worry about meeting monthly expenses reduces stress levels, which improves our immune response, in turn warding off sickness, and this reduces the draw on our medical system. A basic income can stabilize a wonky economy as well.
Canadian seniors are already receiving a basic income — it's called a pension!
Anke van Leeuwen
Victoria
Try good behaviour to help others
After watching the news on television and being told on the hour to wash hands, cough into a sleeve or tissue and avoid touching the face, I went to my local supermarket.
Here I witnessed ignorance, bad habits and rudeness which showed that the message is not getting through to many.
One woman coughed loudly without covering her mouth sending germs flying, another person licked a forefinger and thumb to help separate the opening of a plastic bag then with the wet finger fumbled and felt some apples. This was in the space of 10 minutes.
With behaviour like this I expect the virus to spread quickly.
Harry Jordan
Sidney
Oak Bay homeowners forced to pay
Re: “Oak Bay man must pay $16,494 to fix broken sewer line on municipal property,” March 10.
The article regarding the exorbitant cost forced onto Oak Bay homeowners to replace aging municipal sewage and stormwater pipes has raised this issue again.
Being an Oak Bay homeowner, I was faced with a decision several years ago when the sewage line blocked on my property. I had that section repaired, which was accepted and reasonable.
When I inquired about the very short municipal section from my property line to the main line on the street, I was shocked by the price and the fact that I would have been forced to use expensive municipal union workers.
I suspect that the bylaw created dealing with this some years ago was because the then mayor and council realized, with staff input, that there were many post-war houses with aging pipes in Oak Bay and there were not sufficient contingency funds saved to deal with this, thus forcing the costs onto homeowners.
Other municipalities pay for this repair work. Why is Oak Bay different?
I hope that with the new mayor and council and enough comments from homeowners that something more reasonable can be negotiated. I believe that this council is being more diligent about building contingency funds to deal with municipal maintenance.
At the very least, people looking to purchase a home in Oak Bay need to have this information disclosed.
Jennie Sutton
Oak Bay
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