Set a basic standard for municipal watering
I get it, I really do! We are in the midst of a drought, climate change is very real, and budgets? Well, let’s just say what it is, we are on an austerity program.
And again, I get it … I really do. I have cut back and done my part. I water only as necessary, the grass is crunchy, and I have embraced planting that which was original to the area (and Oregon grape is not my favourite!).
But, the disparity in municipal gardening is just becoming all the more glaringly obvious. On one corner, elaborate plantings and green grass surrounds.
On another is Commonwealth Place, looking all but abandoned, with weeds six feet tall and going to seed. I cannot even explain how heartbreaking it is to see so many dead/diseased trees; all I could think of was “there’s kindling” (God forbid).
I am not suggesting do “nothing” across all corners but rather, maybe even out the landscaping and just maintain the land, to a municipal/city-wide basic standard.
Spread the wealth, as it were.
Marka Riske
Victoria
Help those who cannot help themselves
Re: “Different governments need to help our cities,” letter, July 29.
I couldn’t agree more with the letter writer, well said!
It is time that people woke up. We need to help these people who can’t help themselves. The present situation is not working, our downtown core has become disgusting.
I feel for the downtown businesses that are trying to make a living amongst the mess that is downtown Victoria.
Build treatment centres, help the people who can’t help themselves, then support them when they get out, and punish the people who are killing them with tainted drugs.
This nonsense of buying up old hotels and creating cesspool neighbourhoods has got to stop (ask any police officer about what is called “the Bermuda Triangle” area).
We need to fix this problem, and if these unfortunate folks can’t fend for themselves then we need to do it for them, even when they may not want to.
Bill Shearer
Victoria
Another Alberni Valley route is desperately needed
When is the government finally going to get underway developing another exit from the west coast and the Alberni Valley to the rest of 91原创 Island?
This inaction and indecision has gone for years and must be addressed. We have seen the highway closed for hours due to accidents, weather events and falling trees, and now a wildfire that has destabilized the Cameron Lake bluffs above the road creating unknown long-term problems.
The one-lane alternating highway has closed at least several times due to high winds causing debris to fall. In the event of a catastrophe, will emergency vehicles and personnel be able to get into the Alberni Valley and beyond quickly and will residents be able to get out of the area safely?
This issue must be addressed and action taken immediately. Too many lives and livelihoods are affected or at risk.
Daryl A. Grunlund
Nanaimo
How many politicians are without family doctors?
I read about two nurse practitioners resigning from the Saanich Peninsula medical clinic, leaving no one there to cover the medical requirements of those who are not connected to a family doctor.
This development, along with the rotating overnight closures of understaffed emergency rooms, leaves many people scrambling to find a medical professional to care for their daily health needs, some minor and others much more serious.
We were told by the provincial minister of health a few weeks ago that the ministry has developed a new system that will correct most of our problems. However, the caveat was that the changes would probably take up to 18 months to implement, which leaves many people who are dealing with serious and life-threatening health conditions with little or no hope of being aided before the new adjustments to the system take effect.
I wonder, with all the immigrants who have applied for permanent residence in Canada and who have been trained in the medical field in their home countries, why we cannot employ them in some capacity to at least cover some of the less critical medical conditions.
We have been given statistics (approximations) of the number of residents in B.C. who do not have any coverage by family medical professionals, which seem to be about one million who have to visit emergency wards and/or clinics to get medical help.
How many politicians, whether they be municipal, provincial or federal, are without a family doctor? I have a suspicion that it is close to one per cent.
I believe that if more of them were unable to phone their doctor and get almost immediate care, they could correct the system almost immediately and we would all be much better off.
D.E. Hutson
Courtenay
Motorcycles should not be in bike lanes
Last year while in Switzerland, I found some e-bikes have licence plates, so I inquired. Here are the differences.
We allow e-bikes to add power up to 32 km/h (anything faster or that has a throttle is not an e-bike, it’s a motorcycle). In Switzerland there are two classes of e-bikes. Those that have power assist up to 25 km/h are treated the same as normal bikes.
They do, however, have a higher speed class up to 45 km/h. This faster class has to be registered (licence plate) and they operate only on regular roads. I understand the registration fee for this class of e-bike is minimal, thereby having a class of transportation between bicycles and motorcycles.
We have something like that for small motor scooters, but many e-bike owners hack the governors, and many hub-motor e-bike conversions operate with a throttle. These are technically motorcycles, and should not be on bike paths or separated bike lanes.
Enforcement is challenging, but raising fines could be a deterrent to misuse of bike paths and lanes. This could improve safety without stalling what is a very efficient mode of transportation.
Bill Yearwood
Oak Bay
Economic harakiri or climatic harakiri?
Really, leaving the weather less habitable for our children is the price of carbon pollution. Clearly something has to be done. It will have to be done collectively so the federal government has a leading role to play.
Right now the Liberal government has put a price on pollution and it is not an easy sell. The Conservatives are proposing to abolish the price for carbon pollution. That seems much easier to sell.
Economic harakiri or climatic harakiri? It doesn’t have to be one or the other. The price on pollution can be aimed squarely at wasteful and excessive carbon pollution and ordinary taxpayers can be exempted the tax.
I vote to do something and put a price on pollution.
Jim Shortreed
Victoria
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