Letters for August 26
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: August 25, 2009 3:31 PM
Densification would spoil neighbourhood charm
As Oak Bay contemplates secondary suites and carriage homes, we are already (but temporarily) living that vision here in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant district.
It looks good superficially, but is crowded, noisy and lacks that neighbourhood feeling.
Want to subdivide a single family home for income or strata property? Want to maximize the tax base or increase your business customer base? Great. The Mt. Pleasant style of living is for you.
But if you want to preserve Oak Bay’s community and charm, it is far from attractive. Single family neighbourhoods should be cherished, not squandered.
Here’s why. Twice or more the number of people occupy space intended for single families. Parked cars clog streets. More traffic (cars and trucks) operate night and day. There is far more house construction and renovations; the noise reverberates more among the houses, garages and carriage homes. Carriage houses occupy backyards, but the rest is paved or parking.
Thus there is far less greenery and outside private space for relaxation. Tiny patios and porches, tucked here and there, look cute but are rarely used. People tend to live inside. It’s far less of a ‘neighbourhood.’
There seem to be many street people; perhaps density equals opportunity. And notably few children and older people – opposite to Oak Bay’s goals. Children appear to have less space to play at home and older folks may find crowded, noisy conditions unattractive for retirement.
Oak Bay-ers greet neighbours and strangers. Here in the ‘future’ it’s a rarity.
Before you decide on densification, experience it yourself. It’s only a short ferry and transit ride away. Walk the streets. It’s worth the time and effort. Then think again. Do you really want this for Oak Bay?
Rick Lee
Oak Bay
Harmonized sales tax a B.C. boondoggle
To Premier Campbell and his party of prevaricating, pusillanimous, sycophants:
Roughly 150 years ago an American president coined a phrase regarding fooling the people. I would suggest the phrase will be remembered by people who will ignore your policy of ‘punish early, and placate late’ in their next opportunity at the polls.
Some, or most now, are aware that the majority of you are not interested in serving anybody, but your primary pursuits while in office are more for personal gain – as in your pay, pensions, perks, power and privilege – than in the public good.
Your ‘spin’ doctors give elaborate permutations as to why your latest ‘scam’ is good for us, but we have learned to our cost that seldom, if ever, are ‘savings’ passed down to the consumer and in reality you are selling us out ‘for a mess of pottage.’
The $1.6 billion you will receive from the federal government for harmonizing the sales tax will allow you to announce that ‘the Olympics did not leave B.C. with a huge debt,’ whereas the actual debt will last as long as, or longer than that of the Montreal Olympics 30 years ago.
Bringing in the HST is a boondoggle that makes the Fast Ferry Fiasco seem tame by comparison.
Harry Cossey
Oak Bay
PETA dropping the ball on UVic rabbit ‘cull’
PETA, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, elicits strong reactions from people, and for good reason. They are controversial and even strong animal advocates wince at some of their causes, such as saving flies from President Obama.
Then, there are times where animal lovers are let down. Such is the case with the University of Victoria bunnies. I contacted PETA some time ago regarding the situation. At the same time, I had contacted the local SPCA and the Ministry of Environment responsible for wildlife. Both agencies passed the buck, suggesting they cannot be involved. In other words, they will not be involved.
I and a few friends walk the UVic campus daily, partially as exercise and in part to monitor the bunnies. Over the past year, many have disappeared. The drop in the rabbit population is too extensive to be due to natural causes or predator activity. That leaves a rabbit cull as the only other possible explanation.
Over the past two years, UVic has received many reasonable suggestions to control the exploding bunny population, from purchasing an organic product which plays to the rabbits’ fear response, to neutering. Of course neutering is the best option, as it has worked in controlling over-populations such as cats on the naval base.
I am very disappointed with UVic for not setting an example to the community or the student population, of responsible humane management of wildlife. More so, I am disappointed with PETA, as this is absolutely in line with their mandate.
I understand they don’t do such a good job with puppies either.
William Perry
Victoria
v2
