Opinion

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.

The 610 people who completed the Oak Bay Marina lease questionnaire need to know their opinions have reached council with no analysis whatsoever. Staff’s report provides no tabulation of preferences, grouping of interests, or synthesis of issues. Falsely titled “a summary,” it is in fact 641 pages of individual responses. Similarly, the 59 residents who wrote council should know that council has received their 83 pages of comment without any analysis.

I was shocked, dismayed, and quite frankly, disgusted to learn about the proposed budget cuts to music programs in the Greater Victoria School District (SD61).

At the age of 67 and introverted, I’ve contemplated over the years the unfolding world events around me. No more so than over the last year.

Reader says premier shouldn’t allow logging of old-growth forests