Saanich residents should be concerned about UVic's proposed plan to evict the Saanich Fire Department's fire station at 1900 McKenzie Ave. In order to accommodate their plans to build non-student market housing and commercial space at the location, UVIC is planning to evict the fire hall that provides quick response to fire and inhalator emergencies for both the campus and the surrounding neighbourhood.
Not only is UVic's plan irresponsible to its students, faculty and staff as well as residents in the area, it is counter-intuitive since their development plan adds residential and commercial buildings that will increase the neighbourhood's population who need fire and inhalator services.
Hopefully with an appeal to reason, UVic will, in the interest of community safety, revamp their development plan and the accommodate the much-needed fire hall.
Darryl Green
Saanich
