Maritime museum belongs by the water
Re: 鈥淢aritime Museum of sa国际传媒 charts course for Langford,鈥� July 10.
It is simply incomprehensible to me that the Maritime Museum of sa国际传媒 is moving to Langford. It is almost as incomprehensible that Victoria is allowing it to happen.
A perfect location exists in the Steamship Terminal Building. Put both under the auspices of the Royal sa国际传媒 Museum and you have a world-class facility on the water, where it belongs.
I have been to maritime museums around the world, including on our own east coast in Halifax. None 鈥� not one 鈥� is inland, 15 kilometres from the ocean.
What are the museum board members thinking? It seems they are easily seduced by a modern and spacious building, yet giving no thought to the tourism it would need to finance its operation.
Will cruise ship passengers bus out to Langford to visit a maritime museum?
Any other tourists who have come to Victoria?
And the mayor and Victoria council sit idly by and let this gem get away? I聽just don鈥檛 get it (shakes head).
Jim Parker
James Bay
Lessons from Barcelona鈥檚 museum
Re: 鈥淢aritime Museum needs to be in Victoria,鈥� letter, July 14.
I agree with everything the letter-writer says regarding the Maritime Museum of sa国际传媒 moving to Langford.
I suggest that Victoria councillors and anyone else who has control over the placement of the museum read about Barcelona鈥檚 wonderful maritime museum on the waterfront聽at the end of the city鈥檚 main street.
When I was there, the museum鈥檚 location was a deciding factor in my visiting it, and I am sure that such a visit would not have taken place if it were located 15 kilometres inland from the city centre.
For many historic and economic reasons, Victoria should house the Maritime Museum in a waterfront location.
Norma Martin
Saanich
Educate public about聽phone scams
Re: 鈥淪eniors warned of 鈥榞randson鈥� telephone scam,鈥� July 15.
I was sorry to read about someone losing $5,000 to telephone scammers.
I receive scam calls almost every day and no longer answer if I don鈥檛 know the caller. So far, I have had fake calls from my 鈥渇avourite granddaughter,鈥� Revenue sa国际传媒, my bank, my credit card company and others.
I have been told that the police are coming, but have waited so long for them the doughnuts have gone stale.
It is past time that our governments take this seriously. It is clear that phone scammers have learned to operate beyond the reach of Canadian law enforcement.
There should be regular prominent public service warnings in newspapers telling people how to handle the various types of fraud.
For those who don鈥檛 read papers, regular television spots should carry the same message.
For new immigrants, the warnings should appear in the media of assorted languages. It is time to fight back against telephone fraud.
Joel Newman
Victoria
Stop talking about it, just pave the E&N
I am tired of reading opposing sides of the E&N Railway debate.
I propose that it be paved and use buses on it, and maybe use it as a diversion when the Malahat is closed by an accident.
If the road is not wide enough for two-way traffic, designated passing spots could be used.
P.F. Hermans
Saanich
Don鈥檛 build bike lane on Kimta Road
Re: 鈥淩ichardson Street already safe bike route,鈥� letter, July 15.
I totally agree with the letter-writer鈥檚 comment on Richardson Street.
Kimta Road should also be left alone.
Spend the money on something more worthwhile.
James Dykes
Victoria
Strange times illustrated in headlines
Seen in the sa国际传媒 print edition on Tuesday, June 14:
Page A3 鈥� Businesses in province-run hotels suffering
Page A3 鈥� Some Beacon Hill campers say relocating within park not safe
Page A5 鈥� Councillors: End police street checks
So, the businesses that pay the taxes but don鈥檛 have a vote are going broke, the people we throw millions of dollars at want to tell us what to do, and the people who got elected to run the city want the police to stop street checks that keep us safe.
Am I the only one who thinks this is a little odd?
Ivan Crossett
Victoria
Misinterpreting the social isolation article
Re: 鈥淪ocial distancing is hurting mental health of young people,鈥� editorial, July 10.
I read the Lancet article regarding social isolation, and I think you missed a key phrase. 鈥淗owever, the decrease in adolescent face-to-face contact might be less detrimental due to widespread access to digital forms of social interaction through technologies such as social media.鈥�
You made it sounds as though teenagers are in solitary confinement. Physical distancing doesn鈥檛 mean no social contact, it means social contact at a safe distance.
Adolescents can meet face to face masked, if closer than two metres.
I also think you鈥檝e missed the point of physical distancing, which is: 鈥淪top the spread of the virus!鈥�
Viruses require a host. All humans can be hosts to this virus, regardless of age. If you are a host, you spread the virus. Being a host might not affect you, but, you are a host and this allows the virus to live and spread.
Knowing this, my motto: 鈥淒on鈥檛 be a vector!鈥�
One of the conclusions of the article was: 鈥淎dolescent physical distancing should therefore be given urgent consideration by policymakers and the opening of schools and other social environments should be a priority once physical-distancing measures can be eased.鈥�
They鈥檙e saying be aware of the effects of social isolation. They鈥檙e not saying reopen the schools because this population is being psychologically damaged and at less risk of disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2.
They also said their knowledge of isolation is based on studies with rats.
Monika Korsten
Sidney
Make rehabilitation mandatory for addicts
For far too long we have been giving violent drug addicts free rein on our cities and towns.
A lot of these people refuse to go to rehab and refuse efforts to help them.
Time to put these people into mandatory rehab.
I am willing to help anyone that asks for it, but when these roving bands of criminals take over entire neighbourhoods and subject law-abiding citizens to daily and all-night-long terror, we as law-abiding citizens need to stand up and say NO!
I recommend we stop buying hotels聽for these people and start building large rehab and treatment centres.
We are losing all control of our society to these people and their 鈥渞ights.鈥�
The Dodd family has shown nothing but kindness,respect and compassion for the poor and homeless for many decades, and are now being rewarded with daily harassment by the very people they so strongly believe in helping.
There are homeless folks out there who wouldn鈥檛 hurt anyone and they truly deserve our compassion and help, but when drug addicts are out there causing harm and taking advantage of everyone and everything we need to stop allowing 鈥渃amping鈥� in parks and neighbourhoods.
Camping is causing nothing but problems.
Spend the money to build proper housing with supervision and care.
Joe Dingman
Victoria
Scrambling to get out in front at Beacon Hill Park
It has been said that a successful politician is one who observes where everyone is heading, takes a shortcut to get out in front, and then tries to tell everyone that he/she is leading them.
Finally, after months of ignoring the concerns of citizens about the potential damage to environmentally sensitive areas of Beacon Hill Park posed by unrestricted campers 鈥� let alone the discarded syringes, garbage, human waste and intimidating behaviour that this free-for-all has resulted in 鈥� Mayor Lisa Helps and this city council is abandoning their tired old excuses and appear to be starting to be doing something to address the long-standing problems.
Could it be that the more than 16,000 citizens who signed the 鈥渟ave Beacon Hill Park鈥� petition convinced the mayor and city council that they should scramble 鈥渢o get out in front鈥�?
Ian MacDonell
Victoria
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