Put one of our ferries on the Anacortes route
Re: “No Sidney-Anacortes ferry for at least 7 years,” March 1.
The choir I sing in (Victoria Arion Male Choir) is rehearsing the song Shenandoah. In our version, the soloist sings, “Tis seven long years since last I see thee…” and the four-part chorus echoes, sadly, “Seven long years,” almost echoing your headline.
Do we have to wait that long for the Anacortes ferry? I noted when I travelled on that ferry that almost all cars were registered in the United States.
This might suggest that Washington should run the ship, but it also suggests a significant benefit to Canadian tourism. It’s a beautiful route, gives us access to U.S. Gulf Islands and an alternate way to Seattle.
Couldn’t we take the route over?
Jim Gower
North Saanich
Use an old B.C. ferry on the Sidney route
We, along with most on both sides of the border, were shocked and dismayed at the prospect of no ferry service linking Sidney and the U.S. Gulf islands “at least” until 2030.
This seems like a huge opportunity (and responsibility) for the B.C. government through B.C. Ferries to fill the gap.
There have been several replacement ferries recently on many Island routes and surely one of the retired ferries could be brought back into service.
David Drinkwater
Victoria
We might sail! Or maybe not
A caution to anyone thinking of moving to one of the Gulf Islands served by B.C. Ferries.
The ferry schedule you will be relying on to get you on and off the islands for business, medical appointments or any other need that cannot be met on-island is pretty much aspirational rather than deliverable.
Frequent cancellations of sailings with little notice due to inability to obtain sufficient crew are now the norm, added to cancellations for weather, mechanical problems, police and medical incidents, all seeming to occur with greater regularity.
If they do sail, departures and arrivals are often delayed, explained away by “volume and the time taken to load and unload.”
I am no transportation expert, but it seems to me that predictable volume due to weekends, holidays and seasonal demand could be taken into account when scheduling in order to allow sufficient time to load and unload without making it almost impossible to rely on any published schedule.
I wouldn’t even object to fewer sailings were they reliable.
Yes, we understand COVID impact and boomer retirements have occurred, another forecast eventuality that has been talked about for decades. Where was B.C. Ferries proactive planning for that?
And have they looked carefully at why those who do get hired often don’t stay? Or should they perhaps just adopt a new company slogan: “We might sail!”?
On the positive side, this may be the constraint needed as the islands face dwindling freshwater reserves due to climate change and population increases.
Jennifer Margison
Galiano Island
Join the solution, don’t be a problem
To the climate activists defacing our museums: your actions may gain attention, but they garner little sympathy for the cause, and often do more harm than good.
As a long-time Green, I implore you to please stop, and find constructive ways to make your point.
The message is important. Be part of the solution, not just another nuisance.
Brian Redman
Gillies Bay
Mammoth vandalism won’t build support
The woolly mammoth protest? Much ado about nothing. The paint was water soluble and easily removed.
Unfortunately, these acts of civil disobedience targeting public thoroughfares and bridges and public institutions like the museum only serve to draw public ire rather than public support for the activists’ demands for urgent action on climate change.
Marvin Gandall
Victoria
Lax federal laws encourage laundering
In taking a second look at bringing B.C.’s money launderers to justice, Victoria lawyer Chris Considine “recommended federal legislative changes to make it easier to pursue such charges”.
If you read journalist Sam Cooper’s book Wilful Blindness, it becomes painfully clear that it is egregiously lax federal legislation coupled with a thirst for foreign investors, at any cost to justice, that provides the breeding ground for crimes that have no hope of being prosecuted.
Constant calls from law enforcement voices for effective federal legislation to protect Canada against money laundering fell on the deaf ears of Canada’s highest levels of government, more focused on entertaining rich foreign investors than stopping their criminal activities.
Joanne Thibault
Victoria
What Saanich commuters can expect
For those of us who live in Gordon Head area and use the stretch of roadway on Shelbourne between McKenzie and Feltham for our commute, welcome to the future of road design in Saanich. It is called “Road Diet.”
The idea behind this new philosophy is to frustrate vehicle drivers by reducing traffic lanes from two lanes to one by adding bike lanes and therefore forcing us to use public transit, buy a bike or walk to work.
Well, Saanich council members, that isn’t going to happen. All you have done is created an unsafe vehicle obstacle course and spent tax dollars that could be used elsewhere.
Ken Rogers
Saanich
Many questions about Harris Green proposal
Concern has been expressed about parking availability in the proposed Harris Green development.
Other concerns which, hopefully, have been addressed:
• Does it make sense to build towers 32 storeys high in an earthquake zone?
• Are Victoria firefighters equipped to deal with fires in buildings so tall?
• Is the Victoria police force large enough to deal with the sizeable influx of people?
• Will there be a negative effect on the medical services and/or schools available?
• Most of all, will the rents be affordable for the people needing housing?
Irene Davie
Sidney
Every tower brings more tax revenue
Re: “Langford considers big tax hike,” March 2.
The article quotes Langford’s mayor as saying: “People forget that every time a tower goes up with 750 people, that’s $200,000 we have to allocate” for a new RCMP officer.
Don’t forget that every time a tower goes up with 750 people, the city is picking up an extra $600,000 or more in taxes.
Sooo ……
Liz Pogue
West Shore
Getting the wealthy to dig a little deeper
Re: “Independent schools are a B.C. bargain,” letter, March 2.
The letter wrongly states that “students will then flow back into public schools,” if you “cripple” the finances of independent schools.
Not likely — the wealthy parents and the wealthy patrons and alumni will simply dig a little deeper, and the secular and open-to-all public schools of B.C. will rightfully receive all of the education funding collected by the B.C. government.
Ken Allen
Colwood
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