Letters

I think it is time that expandable dog leashes are banned. Twice in two days I saw situations that resulted in a dog being on the road. The owner of one was walking on the sidewalk looking at her cellphone and the dog had wandered right into the traffic lane. A second instance took place on Beach Drive while the owner had crossed at a crosswalk, was walking away and the poor dog was still in the middle of the lane.

An article in the Aug. 26 Peninsula News Review featured the opinions of three North Saanich residents (Warren Wolfe, Darren Wolfe and Robin Richardson) claiming that the silent majority here supports the proposed official community plan. Not so.

The opening line of the current Town Talk says a lot: “Beacon Wharf has been a prominent feature of Sidney’s waterfront for over 100 years.” They forgot to mention that the Satellite Fish Market, our iconic blue building that stands so proud at the entrance to our beautiful town, has been a fixture for 60 of that 100 years.

I am fed up. I don’t make much money, I have two young kids and I just felt obliged for Mother Nature to spend nearly $500 to support the Fairy Creek blockades with supplies, food, and a donation. I just drove up with my family to deliver these supplies and I was happy to see an awesome presence of brave forest protectors standing up to governments and corporations that are intent on destroying our planet with brute force and lots of taxpayer dollars.

Barbara Tuchman asks in the first chapter of her classic The March of Folly: “Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points and enlightened self-interest suggests?” Fair warnings, reasonable alternatives and wooden-headedness (stupidity) are her three marks of folly.

The Goldstream Gazette article that features Mayor Stew Young’s unsavoury comments targeted at Langforders who are raising legitimate issues is disturbing. Regardless of whether citizens are all for what is currently underway in Langford or have legitimate issues, all Langforders should reflect on whether they believe that the mayor’s conduct is becoming of the city’s most senior elected official and question whether councillors support the statements he has made.

Urban Systems’ secondary suite process needs a major correction.

My favourite city in all the world, Sidney, B.C., succumbs to big business. Yes, my parents lived there for over 20 years, and I made it a high priority to visit a minimum of three or four times a year. I loved its quaintness, the lack of big-box stores. My dad told me way back when that the airport was trying to develop on their property and the city refused, citing what I heard was the perception of a detrimental effect.

I read with interest the two letters in the Sept. 1 issue of the Saanich News. As it happens, my daughter was walking through Mount Douglas Park that morning as she often does. She passed two women walking a dog. As she passed, the dog turned and grabbed my daughter in the leg. The lady in “control” of the dog was a friend of the owner who was also there. The owner immediately took control of the dog.

Re: The Amazon warehouse. Never mind the huge eye sore in the beautiful town of Sidney (it’s across the highway), what about all the tall ugly condos that have been put up all around Sidney. They look terrible.