McTavish interchange has a weed problem
I have written a letter to the ministers of finance, tourism and transportation, as well as Tourism Victoria and MLA Adam Olsen in regard to the deplorable state of the McTavish Road interchange landscaping.
The Victoria Airport Authority has done a tremendous job on the first roundabout at East Saanich Road, but the McTavish roundabout is in terrible state and this is a major entry point for tourists arriving by plane and sa国际传媒 Ferries.
I am aware there are many needs for scant resources, but something needs to be done to make this more attractive.
The Ministry of Transportation contact agreed with me and mentioned they hire students in the summer to mow the lawn but 鈥� there are no lawns 鈥� only weeds 鈥� and no one has been tending this area at all since the summer.
I suggest nothing elaborate, but possibly destroy the weeds and plant native plants that require little irrigation or maintenance.
Pat Hook
North Saanich
Find better ways to use biosolids locally
Re: 鈥淐RD plans to ship tons of sewage biosolids to mainland,鈥� Jan. 3
My wife and I lived in Kelowna for five years. Kelowna has a very good recycling and yard-waste collection operation.
This has been in place for years. I鈥檓 surprised the powers that be in this part of the world haven鈥檛 come across something like this.
Yard waste and biosolids are composted, bagged and sold by garden shops under the name OgoGrow. Not only are waste products dealt with in a responsible manner, there鈥檚 a certain amount of capital recovery at the same time.
A well-known statement comes to mind: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not rocket science, folks.鈥�
For more information, do an internet search for Ogogrow.
Bob Halliday
Sooke
Let鈥檚 get rid of gas聽leaf聽blowers
At a time when young climate activist Greta Thunberg is named Time magazine鈥檚 Person of the Year and speaks to world leaders about the impending demise of life on Earth as we know it, it is disheartening to read about Victoria-area residents fighting a ban on gas-fuelled leaf blowers.
A comparatively recent innovation, gas-fuelled leaf blowers are noisy and dirty. Studies indicate one hour of use is equivalent to driving 1,770 kilometres in a modern sedan, while the sound they emit exceeds World Health Organization standards.
People have been maintaining their properties for many decades using the old-fashioned technology of hand raking, which provides a healthy workout outdoors in the fresh air.
If you cannot face a little exercise,聽electric leaf blowers are a聽great deal less polluting than gas-fuelled ones.
It is no wonder the youth of today despair of there being any hope of meaningful cuts in our environmental footprint when we cannot even accept the small inconvenience of slower and more expensive leaf clearing, truly a frill by survival standards.
The long-term alternative to inaction on our part might mean far more unpleasant sacrifices 鈥� including water shortages, power cuts, floods, wildfires and mass migration from lands where people can no longer live.
Louise Davies
Sidney
Parallel private health system has its pitfalls
Re: 鈥淥ne goes private, the rest of us benefit,鈥� letter, Jan. 2.
Contrary to what was suggested, it is very unlikely a parallel private health聽system would complement the public system at no cost to government.
No one knows with certainty how our health system might be redesigned if Brian Day wins his court challenge. However, hybrid health systems in Europe and elsewhere suggest a rigid separation of public and private is not a given and, perhaps, not common.
In France and Germany, public and private patients can both be present in public hospitals and thus consume or compete for public resources.
Also, Germany recently found it necessary to increase public funding by as much as $1.1 billion Cdn to address a concern physicians give preferential access to private-pay patients when scheduling appointments.
In Australia, the very large network of private surgical hospitals is subsidized by government to the tune of $8.1 billion Cdn.
In New Zealand, and probably elsewhere, the public system provides a safety net for private hospitals as private-hospital patients with post-surgical complications are transferred to public hospitals.
Day might succeed in asserting our rights, but experience elsewhere suggests the benefit will accrue to a minority with additional costs likely accruing to all.
James Murtagh
Oak Bay
A magnetic reason for fewer birds
All sorts of reasons are being given for the low bird count, but one appears to be constantly overlooked. Many birds navigate by using the Earth鈥檚 natural magnetic field. However, we are filling the atmosphere with all sorts of manmade artificial magnetic fields. If聽that continues, expect the bird count to go down and some species to disappear altogether.
Colin Ruffles
Sidney
Wind turbines are also a danger for birds
Re: 鈥淰ictoria bird species dive to lowest tally since 2007,鈥� Jan. 2
One of the big dangers for birds was not mentioned. Wind farms have been killing birds for many years, but does not seem to be mentioned when reasons for reduced counts are talked about. I also agree with the letter writer who wrote about habitat loss. Around Nanaimo and Lantzville, large swaths of land are being stripped of all trees for development, with the only thought being to pack as many houses in as possible, not the well being of nature or the well being of people who will be crammed in like sardines.
Jean Kenna
Nanaimo
A police officer who is a cool dude
My boys were riding their bikes down the street and noticed a Victoria police car driving slowly in the area. Five or so minutes later, the boys dropped their bikes for some basketball, using our wonderful neighbour鈥檚 hoop across the street from our house.
Returning to the scene was the police car. It pulled up and the officer got out. The reason he stopped was to thank the boys for wearing their bike helmets, and to have a quick game of basketball.
My neighbour, noticing the police car and being somewhat concerned, popped her head out and asked: 鈥淚s everything OK, officer?鈥� He replied: 鈥淚t would depend on the definition of OK 鈥� because I鈥檓 down by 11.鈥�
Thanks, officer. You鈥檙e a cool dude.
John Shields
Esquimalt
Providing bus passes to young people
Re: 鈥淣o, those bus passes are not free,鈥� letter, Jan. 5.
The next two or three generations of young people will be picking up the tab for the Johnson Street Bridge and the new Crystal Pool. A bus pass is the least we can do.
Owen Brandon
Victoria
Build a toll bridge as Malahat alternative
Many thousands of dollars have gone into studies seeking an alternative route to the Malahat.
Many millions more have gone into building a concrete safety barrier between the two lanes, serving no purpose at all in terms of fuel usage and not much more in terms of safety.
Yet, to date, it seems to me that little thought has gone into the option of building a floating bridge (several are in the Seattle area) across Saanich inlet from Brentwood Bay to Bamberton or Mill Bay. A short fixed bridge would be necessary at the Brentwood end.
Envisage a toll bridge which would pay for itself over the years and leave a lasting legacy of safety, fuel saving and relief for many Vancouver islanders. Once construction costs are paid off, the tolls could be reduced or eliminated completely.
Peter Walsh
Victoria
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