Many thanks for return of James Bay park
I’m taking this opportunity to thank all the people in James Bay and beyond who have assisted in the return of Irving Park to community use.
A specially strong shoutout goes to Coun. Marg Gardiner, who fought to return the park to everyday residents, who had abandoned the park to a small minority group.
My husband has been able to walk our dog in the park for the first time in two years. We both stopped visiting the park for any purpose after he was threatened by a hammer-wielding chap with severe mental-health issues, compounded by excessive drug use.
On the weekend a women’s organization held a gathering in the park, children were again playing on the playground equipment, readers were sitting in the sun reading their books, and dogs were frolicking.
I thanked the city sanitation workers, who were emptying garbage, for their care of our park.
A public, general-use park should never again be used as a campsite for the indigent, where violence, loud music, unsavoury language, drug use in the presence of children, and total disregard for others prevails.
Even after the provincial election, this type of park cannot revert to previous unintended uses.
Our society is rich enough and smart enough to house citizens appropriately. Hand-wringing on the part of provincial and municipal elected officials is no longer tolerable.
Mary Jane Amey
Victoria
When it comes to blame, we are only the latest
Re: “No, the messenger is not to blame for the housing crisis,” column, Sept. 14.
Thank you for your clear and concise exposure of Victoria Coun. Jeremy Caradonna. His laments on this subject have been numerous and many been accused.
Firstly it was the provincial government inaction, and at fault. Then it was the federal government inaction, and at fault. Oh, and then it was the surrounding municipalities inaction, and at fault.
Now it seems the media is the problem. Oh my goodness how did we ever end up with this naive finger-pointer on council?
The voters of Victoria deserve better. Our taxes are up, our voices do not matter, and worse our voices cannot be heard. No public hearings, no feedback from the powers that be and decisions which appear to be pre-made in secret!
While they throw away money on Herman’s, the Romeo’s property and the complete waste of tax dollars on Centennial Square?
And now Caradonna points fingers about housing at media? Talk about a disconnect!
Again, thank you for the spotlight on exposing how much we need a change of guard at Victoria City Hall!
Joan Pink
Victoria
Highlighting difficulties with building housing
Re: “No, the messenger is not to blame for the housing crisis,” column, Sept. 14.
Dave Obee’s column defending the newspaper against Victoria Coun. Jeremy Caradonna’s critique of the TC’s coverage of housing issues underscores the challenges of addressing housing in our area.
Both parties have, in my view, contributed to the difficulties in delivering much-needed housing in our community.
In no particular order: Caradonna is correct that local media often amplify the loudest voices against housing development proposals. These are typically NIMBYs who, regardless of how compelling or necessary the housing might be, will always raise “concerns.”
For these comfortably housed critics, the urgent need for new housing is a secondary consideration.
But who speaks for the young UVic student struggling to find a rental, the family with two small children searching for an affordable three-bedroom home, or the low-income senior needing to downsize?
To my knowledge, TC has never featured the perspectives of housing advocates or those directly impacted by the housing shortage in equal measure to the criticism.
Instead, the focus of housing articles remains on “concerns.”
Obee is correct in calling out the City of Victoria on housing. Victoria’s high costs, layers of regulations and red tape make housing unaffordable.
Evidence of this is the City of Victoria’s 258% increase in development cost charges for new housing, contrary to the B.C. government’s Best Practices Guide. These costs are ultimately borne by new home buyers and renters.
Caradonna should work with his colleagues to remove the barriers his city is imposing on affordable housing development.
Legitimate concerns about housing development do exist, but we should also recognize and support those who are willing to take significant financial risks to provide much-needed housing. That’s the real city-building we need.
Scott Dutchak
chief executive officer
Habitat for Humanity Victoria
Emergency vehicles and sirens at night
I get that emergency vehicles need to sound their sirens on Victoria’s streets during hours with medium-to-high traffic volume. Numerous times have I seen ambulances struggle to reach their destinations in a timely manner.
What I don’t get is why police and other first responders need to blare their sirens during the wee hours when there is absolutely no one on the streets.
I’m shaken out of my sleep at least two times a night by screeching emergency vehicles, even in the predawn hours of a Sunday morning.
Accident insurance for the drivers be damned. The government might as well gift an alarm clock preset to 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. to the hundreds of people whose sleep is disturbed multiple times in the course of a night.
Perhaps it’s these underslept souls who are in need of an ambulance after nodding off at the wheel and driving into a telephone pole on their daily commute.
Blasting sirens at all hours is a health issue!
Brad Zembic
Victoria
Cap the volume on downtown concerts
I live near the Oak Bay junction.
It’s 7 p.m. on Sunday and the “music” is so loud that I can’t hear my TV in my apartment with the windows closed.
There should be a cap on decibels for downtown concerts! I can’t imagine what it’s like for downtown residents.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable.
Rosemary Garnet
Victoria
‘Sensory overload’ was just loud noise
Re: “Sensory overload at its best at Rifflandia,” Sept. 15.
Does “best” mean audible to all residents of the core municipalities? “There was little sound bleed … and the sound appeared to not travel far outside of the venue…”
Is this the assessment of someone deafened by attending Rifflandia?
I heard the thump of the bass more than a kilometre away! I could even feel the vibration and felt sorry for those living close to the venue.
Does “far” mean 100 kilometres? Sound transmission is quirky — over water, distorted by the atmosphere, channelled along roads, reflected from the earth’s core — such as the well-known “rumbles” of U.S. warplanes on Whidbey Island.
Please don’t imply the sound was contained.
As in the case of pickleball, noise is in the ear of the involuntary perceiver. Outdoor concerts are tolerable for an occasional evening ending at a reasonable hour.
However, both activities create less disturbance if they are indoors.
Alanne Gibson
Victoria
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