Letters

With regard to David Black’s Feb. 18 op-ed concerning hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games: Greater Victoria’s 13 municipal ‘fiefdoms’ are gaining a growing reputation for “missing the forest for the trees.” There’s always a small vocal group of naysayers ready to rush to judgment and criticize any and every big, bold, challenging proposal that would bring benefits to the area.

I read with interest David Black’s commentary about the possible hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

I just finished reading the article “Feds to pay for 80 abandoned boat assessments and removals in B.C.” by Greg Sakaki, and I am wondering if there were any questions put to the ministry on why the owners of those abandoned vessels are not paying for the cleanup. It seems that the taxpayers are always cleaning up after big business (i.e., oil well clean up).

I am writing in regards to the proposed parking fees at CRD regional parks. I am a resident of Central Saanich and frequent Beaver/Elk Lake and Island View Beach daily. I am totally opposed to parking fees as I am a homeowner and pay property taxes which helps fund our parks and pay CRD staff wages.

To say it is demeaning and demoralizing when Saanich council approve agendas before them without respecting the wishes of the community is an understatement. This was evident in December 2019 when council (except Couns. Brice, Brownoff and Chambers) voted to pause the study of new Local Area Plans (LAPs) for the district. Some residents and all but one community association (Prospect Lake) were against this, but were summarily disregarded.

The critical question the Feb. 18 article on mayor salaries ignores is why are 400,000 residents of Greater Victoria paying over $650,000 for 13 mayors while the 400,000 residents of the Regional Municipality of Halifax pay $190,000 and the 970,000 residents of Edmonton pay $200,000 for their mayors. Why do we need 13 separate mayors, councillors and administrators for a job that can demonstrably done by one?

I am writing concerning the proposal to charge for parking at Island View Beach.

The subject of snow clearing of sidewalks is quite a popular subject just now. Colwood has a good plan, called the “eventually plan.” Eventually the sun will melt the snow from the sidewalks. Eventually the sun will melt the big windrow of snow from the bike lanes.

A visit to a regional park is always an uplifting experience, and our parks role in our mental and physical health has become clearer to us during the past year than perhaps than ever before. Our incredible parks in the Capital Regional District (CRD) provide an opportunity to connect to nature and get exercise.

Where’s the vaccine in B.C.? Already the first quarter is nearly over. Second quarter, third quarter, when?