I must express my great disappointment at the recent decision of the mayor and council of Oak Bay to turn down the Oak Bay Lodge proposal.
As a result we will lose a much-needed facility in our municipality. I feel the decision is narrow-minded and expresses a selfishness and lack of concern for others in Greater Victoria.
Whenever any sort of change is asked for in our municipality, there is a great hue and cry, which is basically a "not in my backyard" response. The variance application procedure must be in place for some good reason, and in this instance I think the municipality should have considered the value of such a facility rather than focusing on a few metres of over-height.
The facility houses residents from every municipality, their family members visit regularly and make use of some of the business in our area. As well, staff no doubt make use of our stores and restaurants, adding to the economy of our area.
I have just returned from a visit to New York, a city which works marvelously well in spite of its very tall buildings and busy streets. It seems ludicrous that we are quibbling over adding a storey to a very much-needed facility, and makes me embarrassed to be an Oak Bay resident.
Patricia Miller
Oak Bay
