sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Bridge to mainland would cost too much

The repetition of every time there is an issue with sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Ferries of “Build a bridge, they did to P.E.I.” is monotonous. This time the trigger was a staffing shortage — where do the bridge advocates think they will find 1,000 or more extremely competent and capable people to build the bridge?

The bridge to P.E.I. was nowhere close to the challenge a bridge to the mainland would be. I was originally tapped to be a senior supervisor on the bridge until the senior joint venture partner withdrew from the project.

I followed the construction and challenges closely. The challenges there, although big in some cases, were nowhere near what the suggested bridge would pose.

The bridge proposed for many reasons would be one of if not the most complex and costly bridges ever built.

If the magnitude of the cost overruns on the Blue Bridge shock people, think in terms of billions of dollars instead of the Blue Bridge’s millions.

From the technical perspective, the pylons supporting the Confederation Bridge were rarely more than 200 feet deep.

The proposed bridge to the mainland would have many over 400 feet (think in terms of a 40-floor building) and more and that is before one considers the extra depth needed to get to a firm foundation.

The foundation here would require extra engineering as it crosses one or more significant fault lines.

I have no doubt Canadian engineers and workers could build the bridge, but at what cost?

Norm Ryder

Victoria

This is not the time to trim military spending

Re: “Navy, coast guard plans carry a huge cost,” letter, April 11.

The writer spent an inordinate amount of printers’ ink belabouring the cost of providing much needed ship replacements that are major assets in maintaining the defence of both our national security requirements and international obligations.

sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ has been dragging its feet on defence spending for decades and has failed time and again to meet the minimum two per cent of GDP funding for NATO.

The government’s replacement program is indeed long overdue and reflects a dose of reality given both the potential and actual dangers being visited upon the world order.

While the need for balancing our security costs with those associated with “health care, housing and social development” is recognized (all of which are an integral part of our ‘security’), the writer poses the question as to whether we as taxpayers can afford what he refers to as an “ambitious and costly program.”

Emotive words indeed but perhaps a more pertinent question would be, how can we not afford to keep our nation safe?

In February, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the subsequent impact on the world order has been profound, the dangers from which have yet to unfold.

This is not a time to turn inward and pretend that we as a nation are immune from the vagaries of war. Our nation is already under cyber attack by the Russians and Chinese, and the war in Ukraine is evidence of the death and destruction that Russia has brought down upon a democratic and peaceful nation where millions of its citizens have been displaced and thousand killed and maimed.

Despotic regimes can only be defeated through strength of arms and providing sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s Navy with the tools to help do the job is a fundamental part of that response and not something to be measured by money but common sense.

Clive King

North Saanich

New bike lanes not needed, but light is

As a cyclist in the Fort Street neighbourhood for 45 years, I would say these expensive lanes are almost all completely unnecessary.

Between Cook Street and Richmond Road, and really further on, this route has been very comfortable and safe since the reduction to one car lane and addition of the inexpensive painted bike lanes.

The new traffic lights (more of the silly left hand turn delays for cars?) will impede traffic.

Goldsmith Street, which I use all the time, has a pedestrian crosswalk five to 10 metres away, nothing new is needed! The one thing that would be very helpful isn’t included: a pedestrian/bike lighted crossing at Belmont Avenue where it crosses Fort Street and Pandora Avenue, a much-used route from Fort to the Fernwood neighbourhood, or to Begbie Street and Shelbourne Street.

Richard Volet

Victoria

Ban short term rentals to create more housing

The number of houses projected to be built in the next five years is less than the number of Airbnb units ­currently available.

A moratorium on short-term ­rentals could free up some space immediately and save billions in new construction.

Doug Pelton

Saanich

Transgender approach to fixing the gun issue

There’s been some negative reaction to Bud Lite having a transgendered spokesperson. Many have gone so far as to destroy their Bud Lite.

So (hear me out here), what if we got transgendered spokespeople to start doing ads for assault rifles?

Think how many assault rifles we could get off the streets!

As my Grandpa used to say, “You can’t fix stupid, but you can manipulate it pretty easily.”

Patrick Ferguson

Victoria

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