Re: “Save money on View Royal roads,” letter, Oct. 15.
A letter writer suggested to View Royal council that decorative traffic-calming flowerbeds in the township be removed and replaced with decorative rocks to save traffic delays when these flowers need tending. As a fellow resident, my response is that this is a misguided idea.
These flower beds — situated in the middle of roads where traffic crawls are common — add a visual pleasure to ease drivers’ frustrations and reduce road rage. Their maintenance time is minimal and always occurs during lower daytime road usage hours.
These lovely gardens are a natural art form, and their installation has added to the pride in our community many locals share. Along with this added pride and beauty, the garden beds also serve another useful purpose: to provide an ecologically safe way of treating road wastewater runoff.
That this money would be better used to reduce local taxes is also a soulless suggestion. Nature is a healer that no amount of money can buy. Besides, View Royal still enjoys some of the lowest tax rates in the Capital Regional District.
Jocelyn Skrlac
View Royal
