Alternative design
There is so much hot air flowing from Powell River’s debate about the location for the Powell River Public Library that it is warming the beaches on Texada Island [“Library responses favour Willingdon,” July 9].
Some people want it on the choice waterfront site at Alberni Street and Willingdon Avenue. Others want that land to be a park in perpetuity. Open your eyes, folks, you can have both.
Vancouver’s Coal Harbour Community Centre is the example to study. Nestled at the bottom of a steep slope up from the ocean, the community centre serves the needs of the local community, with large windows on three sides of the building overlooking the Coal Harbour waterfront. The fourth side of the centre is built into the hillside with a local park constructed on the building’s roof. Parking is underground.
Similar geography exists at Alberni and Willingdon. Why not build the library where the lower level parking is now and put a park on top, level with Marine Avenue? That way, everybody gets what they want.
Sandy McCormick
Texada Island
Trees must stay
Morgan Kennah, on behalf of Island Timberlands, states, “There are no immediate plans for harvest activity on Valentine Mountain…” [“Valentine Mountain,” July 16]. This is not the same as having no plans for logging our beautiful Valentine Mountain. I don’t think the issue is when Island Timberlands might log Valentine, the issue is if there are plans to log it at all, ever.
Valentine Mountain has played a roll in so many local Powell River people’s childhoods and the mountain attracts many of those people back, some of them on a daily basis. Tourists enjoy Valentine Mountain too. It’s an easy mountain to introduce children to the delights of revelling outdoors in nature and, amazingly, it resides right in downtown Cranberry. I know one church that for many years has used it as an inspiring site for Easter Sunday service. None of these activities will be nearly as appealing carried out in a surrounding clear cut.
As a community we simply must not allow Valentine Mountain to fall to the chainsaws.
Dorell Meikle
Spring Brook Road
Conversing with longboarders
I would like to acknowledge the many young longboarders in Powell River for respecting our residential neighbourhoods [“City’s on a roll with draft bylaw,” July 2].
For a few years now, the longboarders had favoured a few streets and many of the residents found the noise of activities quite disturbing. We asked city hall to help find a solution.
City of Powell River responded by putting together a public meeting to discuss the new longboarding bylaw coming into effect. At that meeting, some of us, who had been experiencing problems with the noise and growth of this sport, got a chance to meet some of the longboarders. We explained our concerns to them, they respectfully listened and then they talked a bit about their perspective. It was a very positive experience and I would like to thank Councillor Russell Brewer for organizing it and Councillor Maggie Hathaway and Mayor Dave Formosa for attending, along with the RCMP. We even discussed the city trying to find an area for longboarders to practice what they call their fundamental skills.
If we could solve more of our differences in the community in such a fashion it would do much to bring harmony.
So, I greatly appreciate every longboarder for showing leadership and consideration of people in their homes by limiting time on any one street. I wish you good luck on your boards; wear your helmets and stay safe.
Deb Calderon
Fairmont Street
Pearl in the rough
Finally some clearer minds prevail in the efforts to build the new Powell River Public Library on the Willingdon site [“Library responses favour Willingdon,” July 9].
Calling it Willingdon South is a ploy to muddy the waters as it is a man-made plateau specially created and covenanted for a civic building. It has been a gravel wasteland with a boulder beach since the arena was torn down. It gets used once a year for a travelling carnival.
If we’re going to spend the dough, let’s spend it on something we can be proud of. We’re the Pearl of the Sunshine Coast—let’s live up to our name and show off our beauty.
Don Bowes
Banks Road
