Park intended for enjoyment, not for visitors’ education

There is a plan underway at City Hall to make Beacon Hill Park a heritage site.

The first project going to Victoria for approval is to renovate the Victorian-style bandshell and make it a “useful resource,” namely for an information centre.

Proposed renovations include increasing the footprint (making it larger) and replacing some surrounding grass. This helps to preserve heritage values? No, it raises a spectre of yet more signs and monuments littering the park as a consequence.

I go there to refresh, be rejuvenated and enjoy the scenic beauty. I don’t want a tourist-attraction type of park with signs that detract from a pure park experience nor be forcibly educated with identifying markers. Books, libraries, museums, archives, schools, the Internet and city pamphlets supply educational information. It is a personal choice.

Time was when one could stroll through without noticing signs. Now there are too many. The well-advertised herons left; perhaps they don’t appreciate being a peep show attraction, but the heron signs were not removed.

A precedent-setting plaque adjacent to the water can records names of commercial donors, a form of advertising.

The park would benefit visually by posting an overall sign at the entrances instead of individually within the park itself.

Betty Gibbens

Victoria

Renewable energy the next step in climate change battle

Re: Canada climate stance ‘weak’ (Opinion, Oct. 23)

A refreshing acknowledgement of the seriousness of climate change recently came from B.C.’s labour movement and its leaders, in the form of an editorial by Columbia Institute executive director Charley Beresford.

The Columbia Institute’s board of directors is a who’s who of the B.C. labour movement and includes Jim Sinclair, Barry O’Neill, Andy Ross (COPE 378) and Ken Georgetti, among others.

We are pleased to say we share the view expressed by Beresford and the Columbia Institute, that Canadians see climate change as a high priority issue and want to do something about it.  Climate change is the pre-eminent issue of the 21st century and it must be addressed.

B.C. Citizens for Green Energy believes the biggest contribution the people of B.C. can make in the battle against climate change is to unleash our province’s vast, untapped potential for generating clean, renewable electricity. Such a strategy would make an abundance of emission-free electricity available to our neighbouring states and provinces, whose citizens are largely dependent on burning coal to produce their electricity. 

The undeniable fact that climate change and greenhouse gas emissions do not recognize international or provincial boundaries means it is our clear, international duty to use our province’s abundance to the benefit of all.

We sincerely hope that B.C.’s labour leaders can agree with us on this.

Bruce Sanderson, co-spokesperson

B.C. Citizens for Green Energy

Political correctness unnecessary for title

I agree with the writer (Letters, Oct. 16) who decries the name-change of the Swedish word “ombudsman” to “ombudsperson.”

This all looks quite inane and unnecessary.

The word ombudsman is derived from the Norse “umbodhsmadr,” meaning “grievance person,” which is gender neutral, applying to male and female alike.

Not content with its efforts so far to strangulate the English language, the dead hand of political correctness now seems to be in the business of deforming words stolen from other languages.

John Lover

Oak Bay

Torch Relay start can make us proud

Victorians can certainly be proud that we are the launching point for Canada’s Winter Olympics 2010 Torch Relay. 

To mark this once-in-a-lifetime celebration, I have created a Canadian Olympic Victory cheer:

Stand, Raise your hands,

Canada Bold! Go for Gold!

I predict that we will be saluting our flag when Canadian athletes finally win gold on Canadian soil. 

Renwick D. Bradley

Oak Bay