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Road construction on all main routes

Inevitably, road construction and repairs are necessary, but would it be possible for Victoria City Hall to co-ordinate these efforts?

This week, all three principal north-south arteries (Douglas, Blanshard, Quadra) were simultaneously undergoing repairs or construction. Anyone with imagination can realize the consequences.

Graeme S. Mount

Victoria

Major crash hazard because of construction

Occasionally road construction creates problems for commuters. Some of these issues, not surprisingly, arise because of the way construction projects are planned, managed and run.

But sometimes the difficulties actually create dangerous situations for a whole neighbourhood.

Right now one of those projects has resulted in a circumstance in which the residents of a Saanich neighbourhood off Tattersall Drive are being forced to use a narrow lane called Rock Street to get in and out of their homes during the whole of each working day.

Rock Street is a blind corner one block north of Tattersall; with the section of Tattersall between Quadra and Salsbury closed entirely, anyone leaving or coming into the area is forced to use Rock.

The situation — which has been brought to Saanich’s attention by several affected residents — is dangerous because Quadra traffic, northbound, moves very quickly; currently, because of the Tattersall closure, there’s much more traffic in both directions.

This makes even a right turn off Rock onto Quadra difficult; a left turn would be suicidal — drivers cannot see the cars coming from the south until it’s too late.

Saanich’s intended solution is to have the pedestrian-controlled light at Rock cycle through, green to red, at random times during the working day.

Although one can’t fault the engineering department for trying that, it seems like creating a lottery at the corner rather than addressing the real problem.

Surely something more can be done before an accident and or injuries occur at what has become a busy and dangerous intersection for everyone who lives in this area.

James King

Victoria

Longing for the Victoria of old

I was born in and lived in Victoria for over 20 years. I still visit Victoria several times a year for the past 20 years.

I’m flabbergasted by the state of the city. It seems to get worse every time I visit.

While condo development seems to be thriving, I’m in shock at the state of the downtown area, in particular Douglas, Pandora, and Government streets and everything in between.

I’ve asked friends and family about the long-term plans to address homelessness and the sad and sorry state of the area but no one has actually spent any time downtown in several years because there’s “nothing worth going there for” and “it’s too sketchy” — and I have to agree.

I remember the days when my friends and I would spend a Saturday afternoon at Eaton Centre to shop and have lunch. I can’t imagine anyone doing that now.

Also, the development of the Northern Junk Building has been meandering for more than 10 years. This after it was allowed to sit vacant and dilapidated for four decades. Just get on with it.

I had always been a big promoter of Victoria. When friends who have never been here would ask, I always said that it’s just a great city with friendly residents and a relaxed atmosphere and it’s safe to walk around.

I’m hoping for a turnaround so I’ll be able to say that again.

Sally Soo

Oakville, Ont.

Community Charter deals with pickleball

Re: “North Saanich wasting money over pickleball,” letter, Oct. 8.

The letter cites the Community Charter, the provincial legislation giving powers to municipalities, to support the argument for re-opening the Wain Park pickleball courts. The letter mentions the charter three times.

This same Community Charter includes section 64 (b) empowering municipalities to deal with “nuisances, disturbances and other objectionable situations,” such as “noise [etc.] that is liable to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of individuals or the public.”

Sounds like pickleball to me.

Rob Harvey

Saanich

Industrial-scale food production needed

Re: “Environmental costs of growing food aren’t reflected in the price we pay,” column, Oct. 6.

Trevor Hancock needs to go back to school and take an introductory course in Microeconomics 101. His thesis that we need to pay for the imaginary environmental costs of producing food is illogical in the extreme.

The first big barrier to belief is that his numbers are wrong for anywhere around here. He says that in the U.S., beef can be had for $5.34 US a pound. Well, at Save-on-Foods, a modestly priced major grocery store, a cheap top sirloin roast costs $16.55 Cdn a pound.

He advocates, through his experts, it cost $36.94 a pound and up, to take into account his imaginary environmental costs. His examples of cheese and chicken are similarly way out of reach.

If he expects us to pay his imaginary costs, we would all starve, except for the wealthy folk, whom he hates.

Few but the wealthy could afford to eat anything, much less the healthy foods he advocates.

Since the population of Earth has ballooned to eight billion, we need industrial- scale food production just to feed most (not even all) of the people of Earth. His scheme would force starvation on all but the most well off.

We won’t have descendants to thank us.

David Hansen

Victoria

Quest for profit does not bring housing

Let’s eliminate financial predators from housing markets.

Municipalities across sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ approve constructing houses and condos with the understanding households will inhabit these structures.

Once built, so-called “investors” — a euphemism for financial predators — buy these structures and rent them out for as much as they can possibly squeeze out of the public.

There is a simple solution.

Prohibit the purchase of houses and condos by individuals and other entities who are not going to live in them. This will eliminate from housing markets large pools of unrealized capital gains financial predators leverage tax-free to finance such purchases.

Draining these dollars from housing markets will therefore slow, or even reverse, the ridiculous increase in house and condo prices (apartment rents will therefore follow) being driven by so much capital looking to make a killing purchasing and renting out housing.

Bill Appledorf

Victoria

HandyDART Victoria is much appreciated

I have had the pleasure of travelling with HandyDART Victoria for the past six months. My gratitude to the drivers for always being on time; assisting me so carefully in getting on and off the bus; helping me with my cane and/or walker, with the seatbelt; walking with me to and from my building’s main door.

All the time with a great smile, happy to see and greet me with such a cheerful attitude and supporting with their arms and carrying my parcels when needed.

They are all so respectful and we had such lovely talks about so many issues during my rides (sometimes I was sorry we had reached our destination).

I am so appreciative of their friendliness and respect to my physical needs.

In addition, I wish to give a huge kudos to the phone booking agents with their friendliness, recognizing right away who I was, so attentive … and they have such warmth in their voice when talking to me and are always quick in ascertaining my pickup times for my numerous medical appointments.

Thank you all. Your service is very much appreciated. I am grateful to you all.

Marietta Busch

Esquimalt

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