Letters

We all have different ideas of what makes a city livable - but let’s sort out what really makes a difference. Is it density that makes a city unsafe, unpleasant, noisy, or is it more complex? Statistics would say so. Paris has around four times the density of Vancouver (according to a study by the Fraser Institute), but few towers. In the Netherlands, where cycling is the norm, room is found for trees, parks, and predominantly “missing middle” housing.

Recent letters on heritage have not dealt with its advantages. Importantly, it helps against climate change, first by retention of some trees and landscaping, all usually lost during development. Heritage work allows some changes.

I am writing on behalf of the Victoria Children’s Choir, which for the past 20 years has been an advocate for music education in Victoria and beyond. We have received the news that the Greater Victoria School District (SD61) is considering major cuts to the elementary and middle school music programs and we are deeply concerned about the effects such cuts will have on the spiritual, emotional and physical health of children.

When I read the words “recreational hunting of wolves” I felt a wave of revulsion sweep over me. “Recreational” when referring to killing for the sole sake of killing. It made me sick to my stomach.

First, the District of North Saanich deserves a strong round of applause for removing the vessels from the waters off Lillian Hoffar Park. But that’s only a minute part of a much larger problem in Tsehum Harbour (and elsewhere up and down our coast).

On April 14, we witnessed Victoria council spending taxpayer money debating issues that are not a part of their mandate. Their mandate is to look after the concerns of the people from Victoria, not to debate issues that have nothing to do with running this city.

I felt a little conflicted when I read the article on Houlihan Park. As a bike park, it would have been an ideal solution to the Haro Woods problem where dirt jumps and trail building were having a negative impact on the native species there.

A recent letter (“Increased density not the answer for Oak Bay”) decries Oak Bay being painted “as old fashioned and anti-change” and goes on to say that many questions are unanswered about how more densified communities are faring, post-densification.

As stated in its Housing Strategy Task Force Final Report (March 2021), which is available for public input until April 30, Saanich council has stated it’s looking at evidence-based solutions. However, after reading the actions proposed in the report and seeing physical results from recent council policy decisions, I wonder if council has accurate data for these purposes, and if so, if any council members have read it.

Isn’t it interesting how bike enthusiasts require the total surrender of the automobile for Victoria’s six per cent of bicycle commuters? Brighton Street could be used for east-west bicycling much as Vancouver is for a north-south route. Downtown bike lanes are a grievous danger to a pedestrian not totally alert to buzzing cyclists.