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Oak Bay needs strategic housing plan

Re: “Oak Bay United Church aims to file affordable-housing papers by Friday,” Aug. 2. Cheryl Thomas says that Stop Over-Development signs are ”no longer so much in evidence” and that “it could be opposition is diminishing.

Re: “Oak Bay United Church aims to file affordable-housing papers by Friday,” Aug. 2.

Cheryl Thomas says that Stop Over-Development signs are ”no longer so much in evidence” and that “it could be opposition is diminishing.” As the distributor and repairer of the signs I can assure Thomas and the development team of the Oak Bay United Church that the number of lawn signs has not diminished.

Some have mysteriously disappeared and been replaced. A sign across from the church was taken down out of respect after Rev. Michelle Slater called neighbours “mean spirited” and said that “she couldn’t help feeling a little personally attacked” by them. This, after neighbours awoke to offensive signs placed on their properties stating: “We support class-based segregation” and “I fear poor people.”

Creators not known. Statements far from any truth. Neighbours have said that they are not against affordable housing, but that this project is too high, too dense and too massive for the small space by the church.

As Thomas is not an Oak Bay resident, it is possible that she has missed seeing signs popping up farther afield as citizens begin to realize that Oak Bay needs a strategic housing plan to develop the best ways for increasing housing affordability. There has been no communication from the church to the neighbourhood since April.

Let us hope that once plans are filed with the district, the uncertainty might be over and a dialogue with the church, the municipality and the neighbours can begin.

 

Pat Hindmarch-Watson

Oak Bay