Stick Library is a doggy treasure chest
A great big thanks to whoever created and placed this Stick Library in the Dallas Road Dog Park. Already it has gathered a lot of four-footed interest and much appreciation. The treasure chest is located where the sidewalk splits at Dallas Road and Cook Street.
Blake Handley
Saanich
Natural turf fields have own dangers
Re: 鈥淒itch artificial turf? Red flags waved,鈥� Jan. 23.
Anyone who has ever played sports in this town must be gasping for air because of Ben Isitt鈥檚 position on the turf replacement at Finlayson Field.
Clearly, he has never picked up a staph infection as a result of seagulls feasting on worms forced to the surface to avoid drowning.
Imagine Lisa Helps worried about what to do with the plastic 20 years from now, but unconcerned about thousands of active people having to quit what they are doing just because the rain won鈥檛.
Ross Manson
Saanich
A prince鈥檚 need for private security
Re: 鈥� 鈥楴o other option,鈥� Harry says,鈥� Jan. 21.
Will Harry get the peace he鈥檚 seeking?
No, he won鈥檛 if he has to pay for private security like all the other wealthy, rich and famous people in this world. Almost all billionaires and some millionaires privately employ more than a single bodyguard.
He may decide his 拢3.2-million stipend was perhaps more profitable.
Susan Doherty
Victoria
Thoughts on the free聽lunch, in verse
Re: 鈥�2 Victoria councillors try to end free lunches for themselves; they are outvoted,鈥� Jan. 18.
With apologies to Lt.-Col. John McCrae:
Past City Hall the potholes grow,
Up Fort, down Yates, row on row,
They鈥檒l get deeper I鈥檝e a hunch
While council ponders 鈥淲hat鈥檚 for lunch?鈥�
P.G. (Phil) Leith
Victoria
Daylight time means dark mornings
So, so glad to see daylight before 8聽a.m., even if it is a bit dull with the rain.
I can鈥檛 imagine what December and January would be like with sunrise not happening until 9 a.m.
I don鈥檛 know why the premier has his knickers in such a twist about daylight saving time. His survey was poorly designed and biased toward the answer that he wanted.
There should have been three items: standard year round, standard time changing to daylight saving in the summer and daylight saving year round, and respondents should have been able to rank their answers as 1,聽2聽and 3.
Fran Wertman
Mayne Island
Hey, Victoria: Keep sidewalks clear
What is it about Victoria property owners who let their shrubbery overgrow sidewalks?
Their negligence manifests an indifference to walkers and even an attempt to appropriate property to assuage inability to possess more. Their complaint against the mud-track detours that skirt their intrusion seems to gratify passive-aggression.
I wonder that the city does not maintain civic duty and enforce nuisance and trespass bylaws. Such lackadaisical disorder does not encourage purchase here as I look to relocate.
Dr. David Heinimann
Terrace
Protester arrests a waste of police time
The assurance that our police are working to provide safety and order in our city is understandable, but the gross display of police force that was used to arrest a few unarmed and non-resistant citizens who were demonstrating their right to disagree with a disputed government action is beyond ridiculous, wasteful and downright stupid.
If this is how the Victoria police force conducts itself, I doubt that any reasonable increase in the police budget would ever be enough.
We can鈥檛 afford this type of display, nor do we need it. Call off the dogs.
Georgina Kirkman
Victoria
Stories reflect province鈥檚 sorry state
If you read the sa国际传媒 on Jan.聽21, this is what you would have learned:
ICBC鈥檚 woes 鈥� according to ICBC 鈥� were the result of inefficiency or dishonesty in the accident repair business (page A1).
The forest sector remained shut down because the NDP government couldn鈥檛 afford to offend their supporters in the forest unions (business section).
A former premier of Newfoundland couldn鈥檛 get anyone in a position of authority to answer his questions about the failure of health services (comment page).
Supporters of a group of disgruntled 鈥渉ereditary鈥� chiefs, acting contrary to their elected councils, had managed to shut down the ferry service, in spite of court rulings allowing the pipelines to go ahead and against their efforts to obstruct it (page A3 鈥� bounced from its rightful place on page A1 by a story about a fellow proposing to his gal on a ferry).
Where are we headed, and why are we in this handbasket?
Michel Murray
Saanich
All of that sugar is not good for children
Re: 鈥淭ims targets next generation,鈥� Jan. 14.
If the title of this article is correct, the next generation of kids is in deep trouble. The perils of too much white sugar in children鈥檚 diets are well-documented.
According to the Government of sa国际传媒 website: 鈥淥besity rates among children and youth in sa国际传媒 have nearly tripled in the last 30 years. Children and youth who are obese are at higher risk of developing a range of health problems, and weight issues in childhood are likely to persist into adulthood. Obese kids are more likely to develop high blood pressure or heart disease; type-2 diabetes; sleep apnea and other breathing problems; and bone and joint problems.鈥�
I was floored by the author鈥檚 brazen trivialization of Tim Hortons鈥� goal: 鈥渋ntroducing sugar-loving tots to the Tim Hortons brand.鈥� Where is the accountability here, and who is looking after the health of our nation鈥檚 kids?
Maybe Tim Hortons should be creating products high in nutrition, to fuel a new generation of physically and mentally healthy kids. Toss the sugary Timbits Cereal idea in the boardroom trash can. And start thinking 鈥渙utside the cereal box.鈥�
Adults can choose what they eat. Children cannot.
Doreen Marion Gee
Victoria
Andrew Weaver鈥檚 word on speculation tax
I truly believe that our word is the most important thing we have. Before the speculation tax was put into law, I attended a riding meeting at Oak Bay High where MLAAndrew Weaver was asked if he was going to vote in the speculation tax and he said he wasn鈥檛.
He then attended a meeting at Bayview with real estate agents and developers and again said he would not vote it in.
He also went to the Union of sa国际传媒 Municipalities meeting that year and again went on the radio and said he would not vote it in.
Well it鈥檚 been in for two years and could not have passed without his vote. This law, which is only for Vancouver, Greater Victoria and Nanaimo, has stopped so much development.
The same government he is keeping in power says that we no longer have to pay Medical Services Plan premiums and they are making it free. It totally isn鈥檛 free, because businesses and local governments have to pay a health tax that鈥檚 a percentage of their payrolls. That has caused the price of things to go up, because no one can afford to just eat the tax within their organization.
Keith Dagg
Victoria
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