Slipping standards

Slipping standards

Editor:  

I’m 84, and I live a stone’s throw from Betty Spencer’s assault, at 11:30 a.m. in a public parking lot (re “Thief holds granny at knife-point,” The Star, July 17).

I can look back to being able to walk the streets of Vancouver all night. As a journalist I never looked behind me. I have travelled the world as a writer, and never looked behind me.

Today, I won’t walk across the road alone, day or night.

At one time there was a vagrancy act: no person slept, or did their toilet in public places. Oh, people were poor back then, too, but they did have their pride.

I think this horrific incident, near me, is one my friends around the world will take to heart. Hey, wait till the Olympic Games come this way — more for those on drugs to harrass.

Margaret Moffatt, Aldergrove

(Editor’s note: The woman who chased the thief was incorrectly identified in last week’s story about the assault. The woman’s name was Danielle Craig, and she was on her lunch break from work at Paragon Pharmacy when she witnessed the theft and successfully gave chase to the thief. The Star apologizes for the error.)

Use common sense

Editor:

Would the decision makers please grow up, and stop talking down to citizens as if we are your students and your subordinates?

We in fact are your generous employers.

What are the challenges? We need to get local governments to govern with some balance and common sense.

After two decades of membership in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the Township has been unable to have the very successful Gloucester industrial park connected to the GVRD sewer lines. Why? There is a load of tax dollars coming from there.

A recent brochure sent to taxpayers omitted any mention of the pollution of street parking on a 24-hour basis.

It’s high time the Township installed water meters, so that heavy users of water pay more. All these items I refer to are simple management-related policies.

Rural area people are, for the most part, pragmatic folks. Those who are not need to be dealt with as per Township policy. The application of plain common sense would do wonders.

Elected representatives and the all-powerful bureaucrats should lead by example. There needs to be more than talk. That’s how we can protect our resources and maintain our communities within the Township.

It’s time to talk back folks. The people in charge are sounding like a lot of honking ganders.

Harvey D. Schultz, Aldergrove

Time for a change

Editor:

I have been living in the Aldergrove area of Langley Township for many years, and while I have seen some changes over those years, I have not seen any strong initiative from our civic administration that would put new life and pride into the facilities and lifestyle available to its citizens.  I will admit that there has been enough improvement made so that nobody can say the area is on a downward slope from an acceptable standard of living conditions, but the question is whether that’s enough of a share in the visible prosperity that has developed in other areas of the Langley Township?  

I keep comparing the situation to when I was a youg boy in the early ‘40s, and at Christmas time my chums would receive the likes of bicycles and the latest hockey equipment, while I always seemed to get new clothes instead (a child does not always understand this).   As I think about this again,  I am reminded of the fact that in districts like Walnut Grove, Willoughby, and Murrayville, their ever-bearing Christmas tree delivers things like beatiful recreation centres, a sizeable arena, a stadium (at runaway cost), a Township Hall (again at runaway cost), parks and boulevards, and everything else that our eyes have witnessed.    Meanwhile Aldergrove residents will be getting a new sewer pipe (!) at some time in the distant future.  Now that is where, and why, my memories came back about getting clothes for Christmas as a young lad, but this time it is not because of a lack of money.

Around the township hall you will hear that the population of the Aldergrove community has a bearing on the taxes that are generated for development and improvement, but because Aldergrove is part of Langley Township that statement is balderdash. While a sewer pipe might do well for our health, just as new boots did for me as a child, not having to drive across this broad township for recreation centres etc. would bring the community more of what it deserves. Remember that our tax dollars go into the same township coffers as the rest of the community, presumably to be shared equally. In reality though, it seems like we are not standing in the same goodies lineup as the other districts. Poor public transportation to and from Aldergrove is a discouragement factor when traveling to distant recreation facilities as well.     

OK, you can call me I am whiner,  and I know that our fellow residents of the township do not mean to see Aldergrove left out. We are all Canadians, and that is usually just not our collective way. The reason for this situation lies right at the feet of the mayor and his council members in my opinion, and it is not actually related to the tax revenue base of the Aldergrove community, as many have been told. If you are curious enough to look deeper, look at total number of ballots in Aldergrove that have an impact on the outcome of civic elections. Then take the percentage of that number that get out and vote (About 19 per cent three years ago).  Then look at the flat growth record of Aldergrove when compared to the runaway growth in some areas elsewhere that deliver better and growing volumes of ballots. About now you might be mouthing your favourite adage about the character of some politicians, and if so you are probably not alone.     

If you haven’t seen Mayor Kurt Alberts and his entourage of faithful head-nodders in your neighborhood with his ribbon-cutting scissors and sod-turning shovel in hand, you are not alone. For far too long he has been rather scarce in toting these accessories in Aldergrove where they are much needed, but perhaps he is of the opinion that a couple of soccer fields will suffice for another three years while he doles out the bare minimums and boasts of the sewer pipe. I’m sorry to say that I am not at all impressed.  

All is not lost for the residents in the Aldergrove area though. In November this year it’s township election time again, and it looks like there will be some candidates that really do have the interest of the electorate at heart. Let’s look closely at their platforms this time around, because I believe there has been a serious breakdown in the administration of our township, along with an alarming waste of our tax dollars over the last six to nine years. Remember what they say: a change will do for us.  Well, November is the time to reach out for that change.  

Ed Monteith, Aldergrove

Nationalize it

Editor,  

With the large taxes government already makes consumers pay for crude-oil products, why not just have that government buy out all of the privately owned oil companies – not to mention all privately owned tobacco and alcohol product companies – and then put all profits from such products sales back into the pockets of all Canadians?

Also to be considered is that if the people of Earth are going to get ill or die from such products, the proceeds of all sales of these products should remain with all citizens.

Frank G. Sterle, Jr.,

White Rock

Do we care?

Editor:

Although I go to the LAPS shelter to walk dogs, I always have a peek at what is happening in the feline department. Canada Day was no exception. Huddled together for companionship and play were 10 of the most adorable kittens that would melt the heart of anyone who loves animals.

These poor little creatures were brought into this world by cats whose owners were too poor or stupid to have their animals fixed. What is wrong with these individuals? Do they expect society to care for their cast off animals? Do they care what happens to these playful innocents, or do they just not give a damn?

Owners of cats that have unwanted litters should be heavily fined if it were possible to find them. But, of course, there are others whose lack of caring goes even further. Far enough from decency as to wrap them in a weighted bag and throw unwanted kittens into water.

Bless the multitude of caring souls who will go to any length to make an animal’s life happy and the Langley Animal Protection Society for being the bulwark of animal care.

Please take any un-neutered animal in your possession to a vet for neutering if you are not a legitimate breeder.

Mike Harvey, Langley