eT tery mia bn Og DP Re al Wy Vd, kk =e LT Tated Ce Sak en ey Med UMS eigen MIVA Mi ote etcal ON 3 Oa hoe EISEN TIA SITUA EESIE HA NS TL SITLL NYE THEI cs \ a (GBD 3 rf fame OE Tad Why is 3 a 4 = re Pa 3 5 e Whale of an Issue All washed up? Visited the Sidney Marine Mammal Museum since it’s official opening? Dragged any out-of-town visitors or children to that fine new building on Beacon Avenue? You might be disapointed. With the exception of a life-sized mural of a Blue whale on the ceiling, there is little else on display that is particularly eye-catching. A few photographs, portions of marine mammal skeletons and small plastic models of whales is all the museum has to offer. No wonder the place was deserted on the day Sidney taxpayers should have been be seen examining how a large chunk of their tax money had been spent over the past two years. Nowhere to be seen were the community volunteers who used to staff the museum on a volunteer basis, offering charm and character to the little red-brick building crammed with historical artifacts. However, the whale museum did attract a good deal of attention at a Sidney Ratepayers Association meeting at Sanscha Hall Thursday night. Rumors flew around the 120-strong gathering that the museum had cost municipal taxpayers up to $500,000 and that the museum’s director and his assistant were drawing salaries of $45,000 and $35,000, respectively. Few of those present discussed what was in the museum or debated what constituted the most interesting collection of bones among the museum’s small collection of exhibits. Rather, it was Sidney town council that was the butt of bitter jokes about beached whales. Council members who backed the project may find that instead of tourist attraction, the museum becomes a election albatross around the necks of those seeking re-election. It looks like one whale of an issue. Policing pariners Cornmunity nabbing crooks Crime is going up in Central Saanich but so is the catching of crooks. And the credit goes to the community. Deputy chief George Lawson praises the number of residents who have picked up their phones and called police to report possible break-ins, vandalism and impaired drivers. Thanks to these observant and responsible people, the police force has been able to solve a greater percentage of break-ins than ever before as well as getting more impaired drivers off the road. He suspects similar community spirit exists in Sidney and North Saanich, making the job easier for the RCMP who police those communities. It’s an effective parmership. Residents who work with the police enjoy, in retum, a safer community. One TheReview Wednesday, September 26, 1990 — A6 1S AN INTERESTING IDEA, BuT I STILL THINK LEMOVING THE ASBESTOS WILL BE MORE PRACTICAL IN THE LONG RUN.. Letters to the editor must be signed and contain the writer's address and telephone number. Letters should not exceed 500 words in length and may be edit- 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 3S5 Second Class Mail Registration #0128 Published every Wednesday 656-1151 Publisher: Vic Swan Editor: Glenn Werkman AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER