Opinion Expensive CRD budget: First Cut at regional parks Talk about duplication of services. In all Peninsula municipalities, residents enjoy the benefits of parks departments that are dedicated to their tasks. The Rose Garden on Resthaven in Sidney is a favorite for wedding photos. Centennial Park’s rolling greer fields invoke feelings of distinct pleasure for Wallace Drive motorists. And richly shaded trails in the woods of North Saanich allow horse riders to forget about pressures of a fast-paced world. Each municipality earmarks a portion of its budget for parks maintenance, including the cost of equipment and manpower. But, they are not alone. Other levels of government earmark amounts in their budgets for parks. The difference this year is that the Capital Regional District’s proposed $2 million budget for maintaining and improving regional parks is staggering. The council in North Saanich said Monday it is disgusted. On motion from Ald. Bill Gordon, council endorsed a motion calling for NDP Municipal Affairs Minister Robin Blencoe to “investigate the possibility of the CRD being divested of its regional park system in deference to some of the other three basic parks systems — federal, provincial and municipal — as this is an expense we can ill-afford in the present economic climate.” As the North Saanich representative on the CRD board, and a CRD parks committee member, Mayor Maurice Chazottes knows what regional services cost. Monday he told council that the CRD parks department had presented a report calling for a 4] per cent increase in funds. “They were told it was completely unacceptable and they came back with a 24 per cent increase,” Chazottes said. The overall CRD budget, if approved March 25, would result in 15 per cent increase to the average North Saanich homeowner, with an increase to $515 in 1992 from $449.97 last year, Chazottes said. (All CRD committees were told to cut prior to a finance committee review so the above amount could be lower.) “The question here is whether the CRD is rapidly pricing itself out of business,’ Chazottes asked his council. Introducing his motion, Gordon said the CRD “is not living in the real world at all,” and pointed out that there was no historic intention for the CRD to manage parks. Parks are just part of the budget. Another motion from Gordon was aimed at a possible CRD initiative, apparently supported by Blencoe according to recent news reports, to promote central regional planning. Council unanimously objected to “the possibility of full regional planning being reintroduced (and that) it be avoided at all costs to preserve our rural ambience.” Not only could the CRD promote growth on North Saanich, just studying it will cost taxpayers plenty. An estimate for a regional land-use study was $650,000. Already, regional taxpayers will be saddled with a $390,000 bill after last week’s CRD board approval of a regional transportation strategy. The province is paying $390,000 as well. It seems that regional bureaucrats are running amuck with our bucks. And there’s not much Peninsula representatives can do about it. CRD directors are not elected directly to CRD posts. They are appointed on the basis of population, resulting in more clout for four-core municipalities than Peninsula municipalities. No one knows that better than Chazottes, who emphasized Monday that although he voted against budget increases, “I've only got one vote.” North Saanich’s initiative to reduce CRD responsibility should be supported by all, although Peninsula residents use some CRD facilities in other municipalities. A good place to start would be for the Peninsula to exercise 11S ability to manage existing regional parks at Horth Hill, Coles Bay and Island View. Peninsula taxpayers would save about . $267,760 without the proposed 1992 CRD parks requisition. *he Review Serving the Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9726 - First St. P.O. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C9 Sidney, B.C. V8L3S5 656-1151 Publisher: Rory McGrath Editor: Glenn Werkman Reporters: Valorie Lennox Advertising: Brian Wyatt Girard Hengen Corrie Morozoft Production Manager: Tamie Sargeant Office Manager: Lori Fitzpatrick Circulation Manager: Wendy Denison Si, BCYCNA ‘ MRDIAN COMM OSS —_—_—_———_ aSch Xe BAMmSH cone We, (cna Z = ANG YUKON Eby oN . Sp 0s = NEWSPAPERS: wTERS 4 5SOC REY CIRCULATION ASSOCIATION Papers COM CONTROLLED Volume 80 Issue No. 6 TheReview Wednesday, February 5, 1992 — A6 N ELCOME T° couR WAY yinican{AsstenlAY MU MCAPAL PARK LAND: PARKS CANADA PARKING: B2ITISH COLUMBIA ‘PARKS DEPT. _ TRAILS: MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH SAANICA PITAL REGION “OUTBUILDINGS: CA DISTRICT FLORA/ FAUNA Oo toot lRTESY OF Build ramp away from float planes Editor: I note that the proposed launch- ing ramp is again being pursued in Patricia Bay. Although this publicly-paid-for ramp will gladden the trailer boat- ing fraternity, (not to mention the more subtle pleasures of not hav- ing to pay at the two nearby commercial ramps) I feel the con- cems of safety have not been met. The proposed ramp is in a seaplane maneuvering, landing and takeoff area. It has been demonstrated at Campbell River and other areas that these two type of traffic do not mix well. Further, the ramp is below the final approach for runway 09 at the airport. This would complicate any evasive action on the part of a seaplane pilot should he or she have to overshoot to avoid a boat. The proposed ramp will not be usable below three feet of water. I would hazard a guess that boaters who come back and find them- selves unable to retrieve their boats would make an already crowded situation at the seaplane ramp and float worse. Any proposed ramp should be built away from the seaplane maneuvering area and should be usable at all tides. Edward Lipsett, C-FTYK Central Saanich Owner preseni when dogs shoi Editor: Re: Dogs killed in Deep Cove (The Review, Jan. 29). In an effort to present both sides of the story, this letter will attempt to clear up some of the facts concerning the shooting of our dogs. Our dogs have never attacked Davies’ sheep; although, there are several dogs that have been seen running on their own in this area. One of our dogs has been in the Davies yard, but with the owner seconds behind to retrieve her. On Jan. 14, the dogs got out before our gate could be shut and ran onto the Davies property. The owner had the dogs under control and was leaving the property before Davies appeared on his front sidewalk with a shotgun. The dogs did not get into the sheep pen to chase or attack or cause the sheep to run; however, he shot them anyway. - We have no problem with some- one protecting their sheep if they are being attacked; but, do have a problem with someone being quick with a shotgun, particularly in a heavy residential area and with the owner of the dogs nght there. We have a bigger problem with the gun being pointed at the owner. Our registered dogs are purebred Akitas and are definitely “non- vicious” as anyone at the local dog shows will attest. This is 1992 not 1892 and with the small children and other per- sons that walk along Birch Road, we feel that proper fencing and a closed gate is all that’s necessary to protect one’s property; not a gun. A. Ashbee North Saanich Right fo shoot Editor: Concerning the gentleman in Deep Cove who deemed it neces- sary to kill a dog in the process of protecting his sheep, I believe that Mr. Davies had every right to defend his animals against attack on his own property (Dogs killed in Deep Cove, The Review, Jan. 29). Would the owner of the dogs (There were three involved in the incident, although Mr. Davies only managed to destroy one) hesitate to shoot a cougar if it attacked his dogs? Of course not. If the owner of these Japanese hunting dogs is unable to control his animals, then they should be taken away from him, because both the dogs and the owner are a menace to the rest of civilized society. p> How long will it be before these dogs start attacking children pass- ing by? I will think twice before walking past the owner’s house. I hope that the police prosecute the real criminal in this case and not a poor gentleman farmer who was trying to defend what is his own. Dave Peck North Saanich Good cause Editor: We are grateful to Town of Sidney council members, and to Ald. Ted Daly in particular, for their recent approval of a fee for community service payment of $1,500 toward efforts of our organ- ization in attempting to maintain a healthy drug-resistant community. To our gratification, this approval was immediately fol- lowed by an equal matching amount contributed through the generosity of the Sidney Rotary Club and its hard-working mem- bers. In these tough times, it is reas- suring to know that there are community-minded people, whether in elected office or ser- vice Clubs such as Rotary, who are still prepared to support a good cause on behalf of us all. Deryck Thomson Chair Peninsula Association For : Substance Abuse Prevention Ss Sidney Continued on Page A8