Opinion Spring clean-up: An informal recycling program It’s like a giant garage sale except there are no price tags. Numerous households around the Peninsula have piles of what looks like junk piled beside the roadway, waiting for pick-up during the Spring Clean-up program. Old bicycles, hot water heaters, rusty patio furniture and scrap metal all find their way onto the roadside. This week a contractor hired by the Town of Sidney is making his rounds to pick up the piles of junk. But, by the time he arrives, in many instances the mound is significantly smaller than when the homeowner hauled it all out to the Street. The old saying, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, is true. Wheels from old bicycle rims haye become shrimping nets, scrap metal is being used to build shelves in a neighbors garage, discarded furniture is being refurbished along with odds and ends to make a serviceable piece of fumiture. Public works personnel have noticed a fellow going door-to-door with a pick-up checking out people’s junk and picking out the best pieces. Basic recycling — without the support of a government- funded publicity campaign. Refreshing isn’t it? Nell Horth Room: A replacement is needed fast Looking at the amount of use the Nell Horth room in the Sidney-North Saanich branch library is getting, it’s no wonder library staff members are frustrated. Many groups use the room responsibly, but there are those who don’t and already tapped staff don’t have the time, or mandate, to decide who should or should not be able to use the room. Security is a big headache because usually the room is used beyond normal library operating hours, after staff have - gone home. People perceive the room to be there for the community. After all, the library was built with public funds. The room’s dedication to a Peninsula pioneer and longtime contributor to the library, Nell Horth, makes the issue even harder to deal with for administrators. Numerous special interest groups use the room because it’s comfortable, it’s in a central location and it’s cheap. A nominal fee is charged for use of the room, not near the amount charged to rent a meeting room from a commercial operator. It’s obvious that another area is needed for special interest groups to meet, within their budget. It’s also understandable . that the Vancouver Island Regional Library has laid down the law by saying: “We’re not in the meeting room business.” But some middle ground has to be found. The library board could reconsider and allow use of the room until a replacement that meets the criteria is found. And special interest groups can help find a solution — whether it’s with the Memorial Park Society, Panorama Leisure Centre, municipal councils or a private operator. Letters to the editor must be signed and contain the writer's acidress and telephone number. Lefters should not exceed 500 words in length and may be edil- ed for clarity, legality or taste. TheReview Serving The Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9781 2nd Street Sidney, B.C. V8L 4P8 or PO. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C V8L 355 Second Class Mail Registration #0128 656-1151 Publisher: Vic Swan Editor: Glenn Werkman AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER ey = 3 | \ERIFIED ~ ‘CIREULATION CONTROLLED SESE OE IS TS 2 8 Oe See | ieee o> ee Volume 76 Issue No.24 — GCOD MORNING, FELLOW PRIVILEGED TRAVELLERS AND WELCOME ABOARD B.C.GOV-AlR'S FLIGHT "X%".. THIS IS YOUR NAVIGATOR, CAPTAIN GRAN SPEAKING. OUR FLYING TIME, VARIOUS DESTINATIONS AND DETouRS, ACTUAL TRAVEL COSTS, AND PASSENGER LISTS WILL ANNOUNCED AS Soon AS WE'VE BEEN SAFELY TheReview Wednesday, June 13,1990 — A6 BE Park vandalism Editor: Three years ago a group of local residents built a major new hiking trail from the top of Mt. Newton in John Dean Park to Alec Road on the west side of the mountain. In one place the trail followed a steep draw. To prevent soil erosion, steps were constructed out of rail- Way ties. On about May 21 all these steps were ripped out, apparently by bikers, and the ties hidden in the forest. On June 2 the same residents rebuilt the steps and added two more. Parks staff were advised but never involved. I wonder if the parents of destructive youngsters know what their kids are doing when biking in our parks? Edo Nyland Sidney Setting the record on dry grad parly Editor: It appalls us that an editorial can be written containing so much misinformation. We are referring to Class of 1990 (Giving the responsibility back, The Review, June 6). Let’s set the record straight. First, the graduates of Parkland did elect a committee. This committee is responsible for planning the grad celebration which consists of a catered dinner and dance. All the graduates will be together for this activity which will be at the Victoria Convention Center, ending at 1 a.m. The after-grad has nothing to do with this committee as it is not a school planned or sanctioned event. The Dance of Your Life was started by parents, who were asked by a group of students, taking responsibility for themselves by choosing a different option, to plan an alcohol and drug free party. Since this is after their official celebrations, the fact that they would not all be together was not an issue. This dry party is not nor has ever been forced on the students. The option is there to make a choice, just as they have been free to choose their traditional party. Can some-people not understand - that not every student wishes to attend a function where there is drinking? Perhaps an alternative will give those who would not attend at all a place where they can go and feel comfortable. We, aS a community, must sup- port the freedom of choice, not the pressure to conform. Isn’t this part of what being mature and making responsible decisions is all about? The Dance of Your Life _ - Committee Bob and Susan Martman Rob and Mary Lynn Gahan Bob and Kathy McDonald Walter and Joan Cretney Dave and Karen Adams Rick and Mary Fitzzaland Doug and Heather Fetherston CRD growth report assumes OCP is law Editor: In April, the CRD released a report, “Regional Growth Review — Victoria Metropolitan Area, 1989-2011.” The report projects future population and growth trends. For Central Saanich, the plan sees a continuous two per cent growth rate, with just under 20,000 people by the year 2011. The report notes: “Central Saanich data assumes sewer servicing of urban and urban reserve areas, which includes Mt. Newton Slopes and Tod Inlet areas, by 2001.” In several places in the docu- ment, there is mention that regional housing needs may not be met if Central Saanich does not put in place infrastructure: “the assumed sewer services must take place as planned .. . in the urban reserves of Central Saanich by 2001.” (pg. 33). The data used was provided by Central Saanich’s municipal engi- neer and UMA Engineering, and was based on a draft of a proposed new official community plan. This plan has not yet been approved by council. There are a number of disturb- ing elements in this situation. Central Saanich has an OCP which limits population growth to 15,650 people. This, until a new OCP is adopted, remains the offi- cial policy. Why then was the above information used, based on an unapproved OCP? PE IRS: The answer to the above must be that UMA and Central Saanich’s engineer assumed the passage of the draft OCP into law. There has been widespread Opposition in the community to this draft OCP and to the current growth rate in Central Saanich. At the May 31 public hearing, in which the public was requested to ~ express its view of the draft OCP. the vast majority of the residents registered strong opposition. A key ingredient to this opposi- - tion was public demand that Mt. Newton and Tod Inlet be not developed. Is it the agenda of UMA and of the chief engineer to see the adoption of a plan which runs counter to popular opinion? More disheartening is council’s role in all of this. They should never have allowed the ‘officialg publication’ of information that violates the community's OCP. This information suggests coun- cil’s support for urbanization in Central Saanich. The report does acknowledge that Central Saanich is still in the midst of an OCP review. But surely council has the responsibility to offer correct information. People reading the report will assume that the growth and development suggested in the report will occur. By allowing publication of this information, council has once again shown a distinct lack of leadership. Given the strong responses of the residents at the public hearing, council would show responsibility to its electors by requesting that the CRD revise the report to reflect our current OCP lists as guidelines to growth. In any business, an appointed board would soon be out on its ear if it made decisions which contra- dicted present policy and instead implemented unapproved policy which it knew would likely not be approved by shareholders. In a democracy, each citizen is a shareholder of the commonwealth. Clarence Bolt Saanichton Grads have the right to choose Editor: I am writing in regards to the dry and wet after grad conflict. We have no hard feelings towards the Continued on Page A10 See FST TRS SSS RR es ee et a! @ re a 2. ®