Learn from others
I do hope that the City of Powell River councillors will not be subjected to the embarrassment that our neighbouring councillors of the Comox Valley were subjected to with their wrong placement of the city’s sewage plant [“Consultation plan goes back to staff,” February 9].
Comox council decided to place its sewage plant adjacent to the Lazo Marsh bird sanctuary, designated as a Wildlife Management Area. The area is within a forested beach area three minutes away from downtown Comox, in a desirable real estate area. The outflow pipes run beside Goose Spit, a tourist attraction, and were placed only six feet below the surface of ocean beach causing major erosion to the Willemar Bluffs.
Because of that decision, over the years there have been many unforeseen costs involved with getting rid of the stench, replacing and relocating the outflow pipes, compensating property owners for the decline in their property values and for the erosion and subsequent damage of their homes falling from the sandy cliff.
Please let us learn from others and keep the integrity of a special community, a 100-year-old gem, the Pearl of the Sunshine Coast, Townsite, Powell River.
Patricia Barnsley
Maple Avenue
Ferry format needs to change
I realize that living on the BC coast requires the use of ferries. All this talk about rising fares makes me angry [“CEO predicts major fare hikes,” February 9]. I have always felt that running BC Ferries as a money-making enterprise is wrong. If it continues this way, I see that by the year 2020 I will have to give an arm and a leg, get a bank loan, or put a second mortgage on my home to be able to ride on any of these moving road links.
When I, as a senior, and my wife can board the ferries with my gold card and a medical pass and pay $0 it gives us a good feeling. The ferries should be free to board. BC Ferries is shooting itself in the foot. The higher the fares go, the more people will find ways to avoid taking their vehicles onboard.
Here is the way I think it should be run. Put the ferries back into government hands. Increase the subsidy already in place. Add a five- to-10-per-cent increase to fuel tax to be used only for running ferries, and all other expenses related to them. Start building new ferries in Vancouver. Have two ferries on all runs, more if needed. Build new slips if necessary. Have a ferry based in Powell River.
This would provide a huge boost to the economy. A schedule would not be needed. Fare collectors would move to traffic control. They could also be employed in the shipyard where the new ferries are being built. Some of them could be trained to man the ships as they come on line.
If more money is needed to run the ferry system, how about a new lottery? We could roll on and roll off anytime we felt like it. Let’s put a ferry system in place that would make everyone a happy camper. The political party that would do this would be elected with a huge majority. BC Ferries, let us experience a real difference. Enough already. Let’s get it done.
G.L. Bennett
Duncan Street
