Centennial Square Fountain’s message
Jack Craig Seaton Wilkinson, the artist who created the mosaic designs which form the three monoliths comprising the Centennial Square Fountain, was a gifted artist who, in collaboration with Roderick Clack, an architect and planner, designed the Centennial Fountain.
For almost 60 years, as intended, it has been the unifying centre of Centennial Square. The fountain was a gift from the municipalities of Oak Bay, Saanich and Esquimalt to Victoria to commemorate the centenary of the City of Victoria.
Each monolith symbolically faced one of the three municipalities, and represented the three fundamental elements of life: youth, procreation and the struggle against evil.
The designs were created in small Italian gold mosaic tiles.
Our daughter, Lesley, then a Grade 11 art student, assisted Wilkinson with the laying of the tiles over several months, and, to a limited extent, my husband, George (former deputy minister of Public Works) and I also helped with each tile being placed carefully (to my daughter’s recollection) in place.
The tiles were covered by a sheet of adhesive paper to enable the completed mosaics to be pressed into the wet mortar.
We all talked a great deal about the significance of the monoliths, and Lesley was honoured and excited to be part of such a significant project.
It seems odd that when the subjects of these monoliths still appear to be fundamental issues in our society, and were always meant to bring people together in unity in the square, that Victoria city council would be considering removing such an iconic representation of modern public art, which still carries a valuable message.
Joan Giles
Victoria
Seeing the seeds of hate spreading in Canada
Re: “Israel-Hamas war leads to a phone call with a childhood friend,” column, Oct. 22.
All trees begin from a small seed, and so does hate.
In her column, Charla Huber mentions a friend whose daughter has taken off her Star of David necklace in order not to advertise that she is Jewish.
I have a friend who has an olive complexion who when asked her nationality answers that she is Spanish to hide her Jewish identity.
A few years ago, my wife and I were in the pool at a rec centre when someone noticed my Star of David necklace and ran up to me shouting, “Animal, how many Lebanese have you killed today?” and ran out.
Years ago, when my mother was working in the Jewish food pavilion at the Saanich fair, three people approached her and yelled, “how many Arab children have you killed today?”
We like to think that Canada is free of anti-semitism. To a large degree, it is a very tolerant country — however, just as a tree began as a small seed, so does hatred.
Germany was probably one of the least anti-Semitic countries in Europe before Hitler came along.
If the vast majority of 91原创s don’t speak up, the seeds of hate could germinate into trees of hate. The majority of Germans may not have belonged to the Nazi party, and only 23 per cent of the Chinese population belongs to the Chinese Communist party.
Yet, both of these totalitarian regimes Shanghaied their populations.
Far too many 91原创s have been demonstrating, either because they are ignorant of the facts or they have embraced anti-semitism and don’t care about the facts.
Anti-semitism constitutes the biggest hate crime in Canada.
I was born in Europe in 1944, in the middle of the Holocaust. Much of my family were murdered in the concentration camps.
I have proudly worn a Star of David around my neck for more than 60 years and have a mezuzah on my door. Should I be worried?
John Sitwell
Saanich
Government overreach in the housing sector
I cannot believe some of the letters to the editor in the past week:
“Leave running hotels to the professionals.”
“If you have space, rent it to those who need it.”
“Investors, please leave housing alone.”
“Investments for some, misery for others.”
Why are property owners so scapegoated for the lack of government support over the years of low-income affordable housing?
When did we become a communist society that confiscates private property and takes away owner’s rights while at the same time shores up the hotel industry?
Where will it end?
Small investors have an opportunity to put their hard-earned savings to work in a place that does not involve the risk of the stock market or the lack of return of GICs while inflation marches on. Their efforts at self-sufficiency are being trampled on.
How far will this go?
There are many large homes occupied by individuals, couples, or small families. Will empty nesters be required to sell their homes to families rather than live their retirement years in their home?
Will the government deem that these people are taking up too much space and require them to rent out rooms in their homes or split their homes into smaller flats so that more people can be accommodated?
Some of us live in small homes so that we can finance the purchase of a rental unit be it long or short term. It’s our personal decision.
This government overreach and scapegoating of small investors should be a major concern to all of us who think we live in a free country.
Rose Mailloux
Victoria
Let’s measure the results of housing initiatives
New regulations for short-term rentals are being introduced to address the housing crisis in B.C. What are the end-points by which these changes will be measured?
As in a scientific experiment, “baseline” data should be collected, followed by interim and final analysis after a pre-specified time. Statistical criteria should be set to determine whether any subsequent changes are significant.
Key parameters before and after implementation should include rents of said properties, their assessed values, sales during preceding and subsequent years, number of units shifted to long-term rentals, tourism numbers in affected regions, property transfer taxes, municipal AirBnB operating fees, GST.
Ultimately, the number of unhoused will be a critical determinant of success of the policy. Inevitably there will costs of implementation, surveillance and analysis, some of which may be offset by fines for infractions.
It will be interesting to review the cost/effectiveness of the changes in due course, assuming that the details will be in the public domain.
Ken Wilson
Victoria
All municipalities must help with housing
The recent directive from our provincial government for municipalities to increase housing stock must come with clear caveats.
Because land is less expensive in lower middle class neighbourhoods, that is where developers will focus their sights and attempt to maximize units per lot in order to “make them more affordable.”
We are already seeing proposals such as 15 units on two small lots with six spaces for parking.
Now, let’s be fair here. The burden of development will be born by certain postal codes which, given present economic challenges, are already hearing the wolf at the door.
I propose that all communities bear the burden of development equally with the provincial government providing funding for land acquisition.
When we see proposals for affordable housing in the Uplands, we’ll know it’s working.
Barbara Taylor
Victoria
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