Letters

I am a resident of Sidney who lives on Mills Road. I recently learned of the Town of Sidney’s Active Transportation Plan. Having now read the plan in its entirety, it proposes creating bike lanes on a number of streets, banning resident parking on those streets, creating cyclist-activated crossings on major thoroughfares and other measures to have “a safe and complete active transportation network that is connected and inviting.”

I want to express my dismay about the Town of Sidney’s plan to create bike lanes on Mills Road between Resthaven and Pat Bay. This will deeply affect – negatively – the elder population who reside in Resthaven Lodge, Sidney All Care, and Amica/Beechwood.

Between the growth of our local population and the increase in visitors from out of town (shoppers, friends, etc.) it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find a place to park in Sidney. The Town of Sidney’s recently proposed Active Transportation Plan seeks to restructure many of Sidney’s roads by adding bike lanes while removing viable driving space from our roads and parking spaces throughout the town.

Mayor Ryan Windsor in Central Saanich is again pushing for a wage increase. When one considers the approximately $20,000 a year he receives from local taxpayers for sitting on the CRD board, what other remuneration from other publicly funded committees does he collect? What is the total amount of money is he receiving from local taxpayers?

Much of our discussion these days is about the housing crisis. Whether to focus on the shortage of affordable houses – the lack of supply, the high rent for basic housing – it is a widespread multi-faceted issue that is tearing at our lifestyle. It is very pronounced in many places in Canada and elsewhere. Let’s pause for a moment, and understand where it came from.

There was a time when city planners were able to accomplish what their job title suggested – they planned the city, its growth and densification. They thought through issues regarding traffic, noise, building height, amenities, land use, neighbourhood feel, bike lanes, environment, etc.

The Henderson bike lanes that were debated Feb. 27 at Oak Bay council were the subject of at least two very contentious public engagements resulting in a negotiated compromise acceptable for all: By day, these lanes are exclusively for bikes in the hours recommended by the active transportation and transit-oriented design guidelines; by night they are for car parking for those owners and renters, including many in secondary suites, who live along Henderson and have no other parking place.

The mayor of Saanich has been promoting the concept of pre-zoning, in the press and on his website. Pre-zoning would massively curtail the number of community hearings on zoning processes, greatly reducing community power and influence in shaping their own future. This would in many ways be devastating for local democracy and the environment, which will be heavily affected.

Many readers are familiar with the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and the educational services it provides to children across Greater Victoria. The sanctuary is well known to nature lovers with over 60,000 visitors a year.

Did you hike your own salary by 37 per cent this year? How about 70 per cent?