Residential roads better for cyclists
I am both a frequent cyclist and I drive regularly. Here is my take on the terrible proposal for traffic changes on McKenzie.
First, as a cyclist, I much prefer to ride on residential roads than main traffic thoroughfares, even if the thoroughfare is a more direct route.
Despite barriers, I always feel more at risk when cycling on busy roadways and that doesn’t even take into account the noise factor. Surely some parallel residential roads can be identified as shared roadways for the bikes and local car owners without adding much in the way of distance and travel time for cyclists.
I’m not necessarily suggesting dedicated bike lanes on the residential roads, which often affect the local residents by gridlocking the roads, but shared roadways. But please, if this is the decision taken, put up good signs along the way so bike riders can figure out the route.
Secondly, with the road space freed up by removing the bike lanes, implement a dedicated left turn lane in the centre of McKenzie along the entire stretch of the corridor. This centre turn lane would be used by cars travelling both directions, as needed. There are a lot of businesses and residential buildings along the route that necessitate left turns.
Thirdly, dedicated bus lanes on McKenzie are fine with me, assuming the bike lanes are removed and a centre left turn lane is instituted.
If the bike lanes can’t be removed, then leave the road as it is and we’ll struggle along without dedicated bus stop pulloffs, no dedicated right turn lanes (particularly at the Quadra and McKenzie intersection where there is significant pedestrian traffic that always slows down the right lane) and no dedicated left turn lane at Nelthorpe Street.
Definitely poor planning on the part of past traffic staff.
Fran Wallace
Saanich
Offer free seniors passes, reduce vehicle traffic
Perhaps, relative to the McKenzie discussions, thought should be given to the possibility of providing all seniors with free bus passes, as is largely the norm in Europe and Britain.
How many vehicles would this remove from McKenzie and all other roadways in Greater Victoria?
Geoff Varley
Central Saanich
Vandalized red dresses and the need for leadership
Re: “Chronic vandalism of red dresses along highway prompts call for public condemnation,” Nov. 30.
Last spring, almost 50 red dresses honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women were placed along the highway between Courtenay and Campbell River. More than half of them appear to have been stolen or vandalized.
Most striking is that the mayor of Campbell River has not made redress for the red dress situation by condemning the vandalism. He has been requested to do so by those behind the project.
Article 22 (No. 2) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) proclaims: “States shall take measures, in conjunction with Indigenous peoples, to ensure that Indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination.”
The mayor’s silence is the voice of complicity. Where is the city’s leadership in making clear that this conduct is reprehensible and will not be tolerated?
A vague comment on social media, not even mentioning this particular offence, will not suffice.
Those unfamiliar with the subject are invited to read the book Unbroken by Angela Sterritt, a journalist who has spent years covering sa国际传媒’s crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
It should be required reading for anyone holding public office in sa国际传媒.
This is a matter whose effects go far beyond Campbell River.
Anne Hansen
Victoria
Free fares for some can be unfair
Re: “Sorry, seniors, your free rides should go,” letter, Nov. 30.
Giving free ferry trips to one demographic, regardless of their financial situation, is unfair. What about the working poor? Many young people are on reduced or fixed income. Why can’t they travel free?
Free fares for seniors should be discontinued. Instead, I suggest that low-income or financially strapped people who need to travel be able to apply for vouchers from social workers.
Sean Gimbel
Mill Bay
Level the benefits of our contributions
As I sat back and read and listened to the various media outlets preaching the virtues of participating in “Giving Tuesday,” I couldn’t help but wonder why there appears to be little, if any, pressure being placed on the Canadian government to give Canadians the same tax break they get when donating to a political party or politician as when donating to a registered charity.
For example, in sa国际传媒 there are generous tax credits for political contributions.
Donations to political parties or candidates receive a 75% tax credit for the first $400 contributed, 50% for the amount between $400 and $750 and 33.33% for contributions over $750.
On the other hand, all varied charitable donations in sa国际传媒 qualify for a federal tax credit of 15% of the first $200 of donations and 29% of your additional donations.
The credit can be up to 33% if you are in the highest tax bracket.
Why the discrepancy, you might ask? Politicians certainly seem to make sure their supporters receive a much greater tax credit when donating to a cause that benefits them, or their political party, than those who choose to donate to registered charities.
In times like we are in, it would sure be nice to see the playing field levelled.
Bruce Cline
Victoria
Great library job, great memories
I was delighted to read the piece on the McPherson library at the University of Victoria.
When I attended UVic in the mid 1960s, I was fortunate to get a part-time job in the reference department of the library.
Such a great job. The article brought back many good memories.
Sheila Grigg
Victoria
Plastic and styrofoam need to be gathered
How very reckless and irresponsible that climate and environment negotiators (including politicians) failed to reach an agreement on this urgent issue of plastic.
Might I suggest everyone try doing just one shoreline cleanup to get an idea of just how urgent this issue is.
I am relieved when we have winter storms here because the ocean then has a chance of regurgitating all the trash back up on to the shorelines where the driftwood can hold most of it all captive until a few people who care can come along and remove some of it before it all goes back out to sea.
What disturbs and saddens me the most is just how many people ignore the trash (most of it plastic and styrofoam) and just walk on by as if it’s part of the land and seascapes now.
When will we ever learn to respect and protect this glorious Earth? It is not ours to destroy.
We don’t “own” it, so we need to clean up our act. 2025 almost here and our dear Earthly home is crying out for help!
Anne Forbes
Victoria
Three orphaned cubs and our false desires
When one sees on Facebook the handcrafted letters from Sooke schoolchildren asking the powers that be, namely the sa国际传媒 government and the District of Sooke, to rescue the three bear cubs orphaned by a driver who ended the life of their mother, and no sign that these powers have made any moves to do so, it is easy to comprehend the cynicism toward governments and politicians we see today.
This leads to further hardening of hearts and alienation of all that is worthwhile in life, namely the marvel that is the natural world and life on earth, and a deepening immersion in things material.
The newly elected cabinet ministers Tamara Davidson of Environment and Parks and Randene Neill of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship have a chance to change this by turning the Conservation Service into one that lives up to its name by valuing our wealth of living, breathing wildlife without which the world would be a barren, soulless place, over the materialistic, egotistical values of the industrial and hunting mentality that still dominates it.
It is high time we see what the Adam and Eve myth truly represents.
It is about the apple of technology and the human race’s false desire to subdue nature and to shape it toward the former’s own selfish ends, the three little bear cubs and also the schoolchildren being among its many innocent victims.
Mary Andrews
Victoria
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