High cost of living

Your editorial regarding the high rents and price tags of housing is very accurate and a terrible state of affairs. The high prices don’t affect the fewer numbers of the elite of our society who usually complain about the higher costs of services without fully understanding that those who perform those tasks must also live in this expensive society.

Yes, providing living arrangements that respect the basic needs for thosewho have limited incomes is something being a Canadian citizen should provide. We are one of the highest taxed nations on this planet.

It is a shame when some of us approaching older age must truly consider the possibility of seeking living arrangements in a Third World country because it is so unaffordable here. It is nearly impossible to save after paying more than half of our salaries for shelter.

I would hate to know how many have been forced to lower good eating standards to fit a shrinking budget.

Being a Canadian is not such a good deal anymore. If this is our dream world, I would hate to have the nightmare. We have priced ourselves out of the good life and who is going to speak for us when our governing bodies are more concerned about fat wallets that speak louder?

Isn’t it also strange how the gas prices come down before elections but rise for just any windy excuse that comes along?

I have been at the mercy of driving long hours to save on rent and truthfully think it is greedy of folks who want the shackled rentor to pay the largest portion of their mortgage.

How can the working sector afford post secondary education for their families and proper food when this is our reality? We will soon have slum landlord mentality and crime will surely increase with this current lifestyle.

Like many who have to overcome the adversities of lower incomes, I find it unfair that opportunities to a decent life diminish daily.

Joan Heck

Sooke

Good work

One day my friend and I were playing at my grandparent’s house and her mom showed up saying, “come on, we’ve got to go now!”

I asked her why and she told us that there was an owl that had been trapped in a soccer net all night. She had the owl in her car in a kennel. We ran out to take a peek at the owl before they had to go. She immediately took the owl the the WildArc.

At the WildArc they take in sick, injured and orphaned animals and give them the medications and care they need to go back into the wild. The WildArc does not intend to ever keep the animals and always makes sure that the animals can go back into the wild.

We hope you take notice of this letter. The people at WildArc are doing important work for our local ecosystem and they need our support.

Layli, 9-years-old

Clary, 8-years-old

Let there be light

We live in Sunriver Estates along with 100’s of other families. The subdivision has been here for over three years.

I am frustrated at how long it is taking for the District of Sooke to coordinate with BC Hydro to install lighting along Phillips Road.

What is it going to take to get them to do something about this? Wildlife comes to the river, there are bears in the area. We have waited long enough.

Laurie Loughran

Sooke

No crowding for Oak Bay

I noticed (Oak Bay News Oct 3, 2008) that we have another candidate for the Oak Bay City council and that Corey Burger is a Green Party member with a “green platform” which includes a mix of major housing developments and the legalizing of secondary suites.

In the same edition the editor of the Sooke News Mirror, Pirjo Raits, is urging us to prioritize affordable housing strongly suggesting that, “municipalities should not hesitate to encourage suites, detached cottages and trailer parks….” Well, now suppose Oak Bay council does as they suggest and this increases the population of Oak Bay by probably at least a third. Raits indicates in her article that given there is little work in out-lying communities then a drive to and from Victoria, etc., will be required — how then will this help the environment and fit in with Burger’s green philosophy? Also, Berger and Raits do not explain where the money will come from for the necessary increase in schools, health, recreation and other amenities or to deal with the enforcement and service issues?

 What’s also interesting about this scenario is the lack of planning. The drill has been ‘let’s make these decisions and deal with the consequences later.’ Vancouver has legalized all secondary suites and now this policy has seriously impacted the already overcrowded amenities, the severe traffic congestion problem, and the neighbourhoods are packed with parked cars.      

 We have the second largest land mass country in the world, why are we crowding more and more people into less and less space? I understand the eco-density rationale but there are much better ways to provide affordable housing and liveable communities. Firstly, there must be an understanding of what liveability is and believe me there is a significant difference between adequate affordable housing and sub-standard housing. Oak Bay is currently a liveable community. Adding a considerable number of developments and multi-family dwellings will seriously affect this liveability in many ways.

 The problem I have with Raits’ and Burger’s viewpoints is that the development community along with the senior federal and provincial governments have all the resources yet are taking little or no action to address the housing affordability problem. However, Raits and Burger want municipalities to change homes designed to be single-family dwellings into multi-family dwellings and then deal with the consequences of this decision later. Their position being this will solve or help solve the problem. We can do our part to support well thought out initiatives but crowding people into Oak Bay should not be one of them.

Anthony Mears

Oak Bay 

Signage issue

Too bad Mike Hicks, but your political signage that has been nailed screwed or bolted into living trees will not earn you any votes in East Sooke.

From the large size of your ad in the last Sooke News Mirror, I assume your campaign has plenty of money.

You need to spend a little on some wooden struts and stake your big signs in the ground like everyone else.

 We respect our environment out here.

Ken Pogue

East Sooke

Co-op housing works

 Why does no one these days seem to consider co-operative housing as one viable solution to our housing crisis?

I remember Victoria’s first co-op housing project which grew from a discussion around a kitchen table in 1972 and became a reality in 1974. The concept was new to Victoria and was not always well-received by politicians at various levels, but most became eager to claim credit for this wonderful new concept once it was established as a vote-catcher. Had governments maintained that level of enthusiasm perhaps today the situation facing thousands of low and middle-income earners and seniors would not exist, or would at least be ameliorated.

 It is noted in this article that developers are ready and willing to cash in on the influx of people moving here. And there, of course, is the answer. Greed!  The profit motivation has fuelled the obscene escalation in housing prices. When will governments, instead of striking yet another task force to examine the “problem,” spend some of our tax money where the need is greatest (rather than give tax breaks to those whose greed is greatest)?

 In a co-op, the speculation factor is non-existent. It is a non-profit, member-based, participatory democracy with one vote per member. An elected Board of Directors manages the business of the co-op and volunteer committees make recommendations to guide the Board in decision-making.

 It is a viable way to provide affordable, decent housing to the thousands of disadvantaged citizens whose lives are being destroyed by government inability to deal with even one basic right of its citizens - adequate shelter.

Val McWilliams,

Victoria

Rehab or devastation 

Here I am again talking about log jams. I submitted a letter to the Sooke News Mirror in regards to Ayum Creek (Stoney Creek) printed on April 4, 2007. The log jam was man-made in 2002 and washed out in 2006. Which I was glad to see, finely washed and back to normal. Where the fish could do their thing again without the turbulence. Sad to say though, spawn was probably washed out four years running or at least some of it because of the turbulence. Here they come again, but this time with the vision we have to build it bigger, better and stronger. Two logs were not enough the first time so now they haul in five big logs, huge boulders, the weight of a pickup truck then placing this in the pool at the Galloping Goose Trail and tying it all together with cable and clams, in some what of a permanent manner.

Debris will happen in the natural world from time to time, here this year and maybe gone the next.

I am asking you, the public, to take a drive up Ludlow Road then take a walk to the creek. When you get to the trestle, take time to read the sign which is at both ends. You can see the log jam from there.

Then ask yourself the question, what really do these people stand for? Now you are at the creek and can see the log jam. Imagine the water to be at least four feet and higher come November with more pressure and speed. Now imagine these logs bobbing up and down like a wave machine at a fun park with all the turbulence to go with it, not a lot of fun for the fish I don’t think. Looking at both sides of the equation I think the eggs should come first, not a place for the fish to hide under. If this is not enough, take a look below the highway bridge and note the cables. If a little woody debris is all right, how much is too much?

Nineteen fish returned last year. If you care what is going on around you I think this is worth your while. I have made my judgement, you can make your own. Rehabilitation or devastation?

I would very much like to receive your comments, at rich891@telus.net.

Dick Thut

Sooke

Be fire safe

If you’ve ever removed batteries from your smoke alarms to stop a false alarm, or think smoke alarms last forever -- here’s the plain truth. You’re playing with fire., and the consequences can be deadly.

October 5 to 11 is Fire Prevention Week. I’m appealing to all Canadians to take personal accountability for the fire safety practices and habits in your household.

Watch for your copy of a new handbook called “Safe at Home,”  it is available for free download at www.safeathome.ca. 

To keep your family safe from fire tragedy read this informative guide. We also urge you to follow this four -step plan:

1. Install a smoke alarm on every storey of your home and outside sleeping areas.

2. Install fresh batteries in smoke and CO alarms at least once per year when you change your clocks.

3. Replace all smoke alarms over 10 years old – battery operated and hard-wired.

4. Prepare a family fire escape plan and practice it.

Working together we can help change the deadly attitudes, beliefs and habits that lead to fire tragedies.

Pat Burke, President 2008 

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs