A6 • www.vicnews.com Penny Sakamoto Group Publisher Kevin Laird Editorial Director Don Descoteau Associate Editor Oliver Sommer Advertising Director
Friday, November 22, 2013 - OAK
VIEWPOINT
BAY NEWS
The Victoria News is published every Wednesday and Friday by Black Press Ltd., 818 Broughton S., Victoria, B.C. V8W 1E4. Phone: 250-381-3484. Fax: 250-386-2624. Web: www.vicnews.com
2009 WINNER
OUR VIEW
Tough decisions needed by Ferries No changes to how B.C. Ferries delivers its services will ever meet with total approval. Critics of the proposal to charge seniors halfprice passenger rates during the week instead of giving them free passage see the decision as gouging a vulnerable segment of society. But half price is still Ferry corporation a generous discount. The perk of free can’t be all things mid-week passage to all people for seniors may have made moral sense, if not business sense, when the corporation was in a better financial position, but not now. B.C. Ferries’ proposal to cut little-used early morning and late-night runs on smaller routes makes sense, as does maintaining service at busier commuter times. Some argue that any cut to service is a blow to the original B.C. Ferries concept of extending the coastal highway system to the growing number of people living on smaller islands. But those residents, many of whom commute to work on Vancouver Island or the mainland, have chosen that lifestyle and it comes with costs. Forcing the majority to pay through everhigher fares to service the minority doesn’t make sense. The idea of putting slot machines on ferries working the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen run is an insult to passengers maxed out with the number of extra-cost services available on the ships. While revenue from these runs has subsidized the smaller runs for years, enough is enough. It’s time to stop looking for more ways to gouge the already cash-strapped ridership. With the balance sheets bleeding red, B.C. Ferries must make some hard choices. Complicating that scenario is the fact the corporation is quasi-private and serves two masters, the public and government, which is the public in business suits. As such, the need to find workable compromises is heightened. In the end, the main objective is stabilization of fares for all ferry riders. If that takes cutting some low-usage sailings and asking seniors to pay a little more, we’re all for it.
YOUR VIEW
Replace B.C. utilities watchdog A few years ago the B.C. Utilities Commission turned down B.C. Hydro’s request to build the Site C dam on the Peace River in Northern B.C. Since then, Hydro and the B.C. Liberal government have simply bypassed the commission. I used to think that the utilities commission’s mandate was to gather relevant information in order to make knowledgeable decisions and to protect the rights of the public. Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett, in discussions regarding “smart meter” opt outs, recently stated that the BCUC would obey the province and B.C. Hydro and do as they are told. Isn’t it time to institute a non-biased and free-thinking watchdog to protect the public interest? Perhaps one with the unwavering honesty of our previous auditor general? David Waterhouse Saanich
Cedar Hill Park users deserve more The News is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. If talking with the editor does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.
Question
of the week
?
The question facing Saanich council is not simply whether they should turn down or approve the tennis clay courts proposal for Cedar Hill Park. The real question is: “What is the best use of this property to provide for the unmet needs of the greatest number of community members,
Should B.C. Ferries put slot machines on vessels servicing the Swartz-Bay-Tsawwassen route? Answer online at www.vicnews.com
while staying within budgetary constraints?” Let me restate that in language everyone understands. As a Saanich taxpayer I want the biggest bang for my buck. I want to ensure that my parks and recreation tax dollars are being well spent to provide services to the community. Exactly who are these community members and what needs are not currently being met? It is families with young children (and grandparents) who have no playground area in Cedar Hill Park. Beacon Hill has two new, beautiful playground areas. Cedar Hill Park has nothing; no outdoor facilities for families and young children. Currently there are no outdoor facilities for seniors with mobility issues or persons with disabilities. Cedar Hill Park has wonderful walking trails, but they are not designed for strollers, young children or people with mobility issues. I would like to see an attractive new playground alongside groomed walking trails for families, seniors and people with disabilities. This could include a reclaimed wetland “garden” featuring indigenous species along parts of the trails. This proposal provides the greatest “substantial benefit” for the largest number of community members, while actually costing
Last Week
we asked you:
us taxpayers substantially less compared to the ongoing tax commitment for the clay courts proposal. Andy Ruszel Saanich
Labour-saving machines bound to create noise Re: Noisy leaf blowers residents’ bane (Letters, Nov. 15) Leaf blowers. lawnmowers, pressure washers, table saws and other noisy machines are all tools used to effectively reduce labourintensive jobs. No one likes the noise, which seems to be an unavoidable result of using these tools. We all put up with the noise for the same reason we put up with taxes. It’s necessary. The advocate of banning leaf blowers is welcome to rake my lawn, cut my grass with a push mower and hand-brush the moss off my driveway. I’ll understand if he turns down my offer, as he’s likely too busy raking his leaves, push mowing his lawn and hand-brushing the moss off his driveway. You do these things, don’t you? John Phillips Oak Bay ••• Let your voice be heard. Send your thoughts to editor@vicnews.com
Does Greater Victoria have a problem with jaywalking? 115 responded YES 57% NO 31% MAYBE 12%