Too many dogs, and limits are needed
Soft measures to control dogs will fail because they skirt the fundamental problem: There are too many dogs in the city.
Way, way, way too many dogs. They are everywhere, all of the time, off leash, barking, leaving their waste behind, and interfering with the peaceful enjoyment of public space by other users.
The plague of pandemic puppies has only made a bad situation worse.
Until some brave politicians decide to limit dog ownership, prohibit retractable leashes, increase animal-control bylaw enforcement and impose other strict measures, the dog problem will persist and worsen.
Brian Mason
Victoria
Central Saanich is the place to be
Watching and reading the bickering and controversies taking place in one or two other jurisdictions in our Capital Regional District, plus shootings, beatings, robberies, illegal campsites, drug dealing and “shooting up” etc., I feel so thankful being a longtime resident of Central Saanich.
Seems we have a pretty sound and sensible mayor with stable and supportive council, a nice combination of residential, farm, rural and commercially zoned land, excellent municipal workforce, policing, ambulance service and fire protection, in addition to a great little hospital and good schools.
We have just about all of the desirable and necessary services, food stores, butchers, pharmacies, shops, banks and restaurants, (even a thirst parlour or two) so as not to ever wish to leave.
Add to all of this, pleasant beaches, parks, marinas and the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Bonus: No incessant quibbling about traffic crawls, road closures, spiralling development, bike lanes, parking and statue location.
Graeme Roberts
Brentwood Bay
Even in the pandemic, people need to pee
It is impossible to comprehend why those who are responsible for closing public washrooms believe that, within a pandemic situation, people are not going to have to use public washrooms.
Do those responsible for the closures actually think that people’s bodily functions have somehow altered within this pandemic situation such that public washrooms are not needed any more?
If anyone can figure out this logic, I would love to know what it is. Meanwhile, we all have three choices: Don’t leave home at all; leave home very briefly; or leave home wearing diapers. Take your pick.
C.J. Paterson
Victoria
Ex-MP disputes points made in commentary
I would like to correct some points in last week’s commentary “Trains need to run again on E&N tracks,” by the two co-chairs of the Island Corridor Foundation.
They stated that: “We have invited Savoie to work with us on more than one occasion.” This is not true. I have received no invitation from the ICF. Before I became a member, Friends of Rails to Trails Vancouver Island initiated a meeting with then-executive director Graham Bruce, Judith Sayers and the board. FORT-VI has never been invited.
They also stated that they “had many discussions over the years with Denise Savoie and her group.” This is not true. I have not ever had any discussion with the ICF.
They said the proposed Island Corridor trail would not serve people with disabilities. This is far from correct. The trail would be modelled on the Galloping Goose Trail.
As a multi-use trail, the Goose is one of the safest ways for those who are physically challenged to get into town and about the region. The Island Corridor trail would likewise open up new opportunities to move safely for those who are physically challenged.
Denise Savoie
Former Member of Parliament
Comox
Where’s dandelion fighter when you need him?
Re: “Sunshine growing on our lawns,” letter, May 7.
Where’s the angst? Where’s the anger? I’m worried the Times Colonist is conspiring to de-polarize the Great Dandelion Debate. Witness the publication of Heidi Lamb’s letter sharing the memory of her four-year-old son proudly and enthusiastically presenting her with “a bunch of brilliant yellow dandelions” while proclaiming: “Look Mommy, sunshine.”
Come on, Times Colonist! Can’t you see that you’ve been had, that Ms. Lamb (I doubt that’s her real name) is clearly resorting to unfair tactics.
As a dyed-in-the-wool fussy Virgo, I’m one of those who likes the neat and tidy look of a verdant green lawn free of dandelions. It’s an expression of my OCD. When an intruder pops up, I’m out there in a flash to extract it with extreme prejudice.
But the ebullience of that four-year-old (beware ebullient, cute kids!) and the propaganda of his mother have rather flattened me. I’m even thinking I might have to retreat from the battlements of the Great Dandelion Debate and adopt an attitude of each-to-his-own or live-and-let-live or some other wishy-washy posture that Charlton Heston would scorn.
But I haven’t quite made up my mind. I still feel like Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda after he’s been run over by the steamroller. And I keep hearing Ms. Lamb’s kid telling her: “Look Mommy, I flattened the dandelion killer!”
Patrick Wolfe
Victoria
Passenger rail better than an interchange
Re: “Trains need to run again on E&N tracks,” May 6.
The co-chairs of the Island Corridor Foundation are right. We need “an efficient and integrated transportation network” and that we need to focus on “getting people out of their cars and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”
They are also correct to compare the cost of passenger rail to the $100-million McKenzie interchange, which will just make traffic worse and increase greenhouse has emissions. Passenger rail would have been a much better investment.
However, we can have an efficient public transit network in Greater Victoria, and connecting to every Vancouver Island community, using electric buses. Bus lanes and electric buses are essential.
Passenger rail is a nice-to-have. We can afford both the essentials and the nice-to-have if we stop wasting money on highway expansion.
Eric Doherty
Victoria
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