Opinion

To the two Indigenous people at Salty’s on Goldstream on June 5: I don’t know your names, and I’m not even sure you’ll see this, but I hope that this might somehow reach you because I owe you (and many, many others) an apology.

Concerns are growing about the process council is using to determine the future of the Oak Bay marina lease, which expires next year, and the redevelopment of the adjacent Spewhung/Turkey Head lands and waters.

Regina vs. Ancient Rainforest Preservationists: Silence pervades our locally elected councillors, CRD directors and chamber of commerce leaders concerning the new War in the Woods erupting in Premier John Horgan’s own backyard - Fairy Creek. Not a word has been spoken in support or against this growing international news story.

So out at Fairy Creek, people old enough to know better show young people that it is moral to be violent as long as your emotions suggest your religion is correct.

What does one think of when one thinks of Oak Bay? Character homes, beautiful gardens … How about disgusting washrooms?

When is Oak Bay going to smarten up. I get up this morning, pour myself a cup of coffee, get the paper and sit down to read… immediately two neighbours with commercial lawn care companies show up and the first thing they do is turn on their gas-powered leaf blowers.

Myself and many other concerned residents of the immediate neighbourhood in Royal Oak have been active in our efforts to make known our valid, fact-based opinions and objections to Doral Forest Park, a proposed 242-unit condo development with two buildings, one of which is 11 storeys high, adjacent to the southern boundary of Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park on Elk Lake Drive.

A recent article in Saanich News pointed out that the District of Saanich may consider a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.

After reading the article in the May 26 Saanich News, it is obvious that environmentalist Teal Phelps Bondaroff is pursuing his personal agenda and pushing Saanich council to jump on his bandwagon.

Walking my grand dog recently past the very busy skateboard park on Fifth Avenue I was saddened to see the grass strewn with empty plastic bottles, cans, plastic ice cream containers, even packets from toddlers food.