Shelve the CRD sewage project

Once again we see the Capital Region District throwing out numbers for the cost to individual homeowners without a set sewage treatment plan in place. Also given that a great number of homeowners will not even be on the sewer system for years to come but are expected to take in good faith the baseball type of figures the CRD is tossing about.

Perhaps Colwood and Langford are the reasonable ones in opting out of the CRD’s inept handling of this project.

I for one say that we tell our local politicians to shelve this project until all costs and sites are established so that we the electorate know what we are getting for our dollars.

If Premier Gordon Campbell and his cohorts do not like this solution let them design the system and bring it to the electorate for approval. I would hazard a guess based on the last few months of Mr. Campbell’s cuts to services he would not have much success in having this project approved.

We have a system in place that is currently meeting the needs of the capital region homeowners and I for one do not see a need to rush into a billion-dollar expenditure just to satisfy Mr. Campbell and his cohorts.

Gordon Greenhow

Colwood

Halloween just an excuse for stupidity

Re: The Grinch should steal Halloween, Notebook, Oct. 30, 2009.

My heartfelt thank you and bravo to Jim Sinclair for speaking out against Halloween.

It is not even a tradition. I have lived in three different European countries and never heard the word “Halloween.”

Yes, people took flowers and candles to the cemetery to pay respect to family members and friends who passed away.

It was a day for remembrance, love and respect. Nobody went around vandalizing tombstones and doing stupid pranks.

I always wonder how the beautiful idea of remembering loved ones could be turned into a big business of selling fireworks to scare pets, ugly masks and disguises under which people could feel free to do terrible pranks.

I am so sorry for police and firefighters who have to face all this senseless stupidity. Yes, the Grinch should steal Halloween.

Leyla Pinter

Langford

Langford backyard burning needs to end

I too was raised on backyard burning. If you pay attention to the news you would know that a great number of our children have asthma and many of our neighbours have respiratory problems.

I am one of the people who really suffers when smoke is in the air. When my neighbours burn, I cannot use my yard. Burning produces secondary smoke which is really harmful to all affected.

This is something we can do something about. It is high time that our local politicians do what other responsible municipalities have done and ban outdoor burning. Perhaps the lady who wants to give her children a burning experience and hot dogs can go to the pits at Goldstream park. For the health of all our community burning should not be allowed.

Ron Kirstein

Langford

Backyard burning part of rural tradition

As a long-term, proud resident of Langford, I feel compelled to ring in on this issue. One of the main reasons I choose to live in Langford is the rural nature and values of our community while embracing many of the qualities of “city life.”

Our elected officials and community groups have done an admiral job in combining these two sometimes competing values and priorities. The burning of small fires has been a long standing tradition in Langford, that for the most part is handled responsibly.

For those that disagree with this policy, that likely precedes their residency, it’s only a short move to Colwood.

Michael Repas

Langford