Teachers’ requests out of reach
I wonder how many people are aware of how rich the teachers’ contract truly is: an average salary of $68,240 (lowest $52,362, highest $81,561) a year, more than three months off a year, 20 sick days off a year of which days can be banked over 10 years and then used to take retirement a year early and get full salary, a generous pension, many days off for professional development (most professionals go to a yearly two- to three-day conference on a long weekend for their professional development) [“Teachers’ strike closes schools for three days,” March 7].
I realize not all teachers work at the same level, but in general, life is pretty good. I hear people saying, “But, they get paid for only nine months.” Whether you choose to have your salary paid over a full year or a nine-month period doesn’t matter, it’s the same salary. So, in my mind, asking for a 15 per cent increase over three years is ludicrous.
How many people in Powell River will get that kind of increase? How many people get to bank their sick days (which in essence is an insurance against sickness, not meant to be a benefit that you accumulate)? How many students will be affected this year by the teachers’ work-to-rule attitude?
I’m sorry, but I do not have too much sympathy for them.
Louise Fribance
Springbrook Road
Texada’s share of library costs
Are Texada Island taxpayers aware that they are paying $100.79 a day every single day of the year to the Powell River Public Library?
We gave $2,200 for the design concept. Should we not have had a referendum before this amount was donated [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]?
Next we gave $34,590 for operating costs.
On the 2010 and 2011 property taxes we paid more for the library than we did for the medical clinic. If I have need of medical services I want the clinic staffed and ready, not a book on the subject.
That $36,790 would have done much for some of the many necessities on Texada. Better still, just don’t spend it.
The time has come for Texada taxpayers to now sever the cord to the Powell River library. At $100.79 a day it is time to say enough is enough and end it before we are mired in a financial muck that we can’t claw our way out of and start losing our homes and properties. The time to opt out is now. Demand a separate Texada referendum and get out and vote on it.
Keep Texada money on Texada.
Margaret Stenvall
Van Anda, Texada Island
Badge misleading
I recently passed by someone wearing a “Save Willingdon Beach” button [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]. It struck me as totally ridiculous. Save Willingdon Beach from what? A new Powell River Public Library? Are you kidding me? A more truthful button might read “Save the large, empty, ugly, useless field” where the old arena once stood.
Any of the proposed library designs for the site would be beautiful additions to Willingdon Beach and Marine Avenue as a whole. The library, which would also be a community hub, would give Powell River a much needed boost. It would showcase Powell River as a town that values learning, community, forward thinking and beautiful community design.
It would set us apart from communities where the only new buildings in town are big box stores and fast-food outlets. It would send the message that we are a unique, creative and community-oriented town that values both nature and people.
The “either or” mentality needs to be dropped. The Save Willingdon Beach buttons suggest that we have to choose between Willingdon Beach and the library. This is simply untrue. We can have both, just as the old arena and Willingdon Beach coexisted for decades.
Same goes for the Sea Fair argument. We can have both. Not to worry, the circus can still come to town, as it did when the old arena was there.
Community debate is natural and necessary but fear mongering and the spreading of misinformation is not a good way to manufacture consent or build community.
Kaia Sherritt
Abbotsford Street
New name fits vision
I’m not going to restate the reasoned arguments that many, many people have already made in favour of the new library and location [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]. Obviously we need a new library. Obviously it makes sense to locate a community building on the old arena site. Obviously it can be made easily accessible to all but the terminally infirm.
I was very excited when City of Powell River’s new council of elected officials made it one of their first priorities to finally get a library built, and made a decision to build it on the currently ugly, underused corner at Willingdon and Marine avenues, putting to an end the never-ending discussions about usage of the land parcel. Once the building is in situ, people will forget their objections and take pride in a beautiful public gathering place—a place for books, learning, art, music and thought. They will remember the public officials who had the foresight and intelligence to make it happen after all these years of bickering and wrangling. They will remember the council who stood by their well thought-out decision in spite of a few, very loud objections by people who do not have the ability to see into a brighter future. A future where increasingly the arts will play a larger role in our economic strength and tourism will flourish in a town where people believe in beauty—natural and man-made.
Perhaps, to allay library naysayers’ concerns, the new building should be called the more inclusive Arts and Culture Centre rather than simply the public library.
Council, stand by your decision, please.
Wendy Brown
Marine Avenue
Revitalization of waterfront
I am adding my voice to those in agreement with building the new library at the old arena site [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]. With the information that I have, regarding building design and using the old arena site, I don’t see how the beach would be adversely affected. If the building is kept low the views would remain out over the bluff to the water.
I believe the public beach area is a considerable distance from the proposed site. The site is presently a wasteland, whereas it could be something wonderful for the community—a public building used by young and old, families using the library and enjoying the beach and park at the same time. The beach and park are virtually empty during the winter; the walking pathways are used, though, and if those were enhanced, landscaped, along with a cultural learning centre in that area, it could be a real benefit to the town attracting visitors and citizens alike. The forestry museum is already there, but does not enhance the area as far as buildings go. Why not have a fresh new concept, made for the public, that is inviting in all seasons and beautiful alongside the natural beauty that is there already?
I have heard people say that they are worried about the cost—that is understandable. Perhaps there could be low-impact, eco-friendly ventures that would recoup some of the expenditure—museum, cultural/natural interpretive centre, visitor information centre—that would attract tourists. As the mill declines, the town must think progressively in order to offset economic decay and maintain its name as “the Pearl of the Sunshine Coast.”
Deborah Meier
Marlatt Avenue
Public process for library site
I don’t get it. Powell River Public Library went through a well advertised, lengthy and involved process of public consultation to determine a preferred location for a new library [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]. Consensus chose part of the old arena site. Where were the button-wearing protesters back then?
Richard Wright
Egmont Street
Building should match services
For years, the need for a new library in Powell River has been recognized [“Opponents protest library site,” February 22]. Currently, we rank close to bottom of the list of 75 libraries in BC in terms of per capita library space. Despite that, somehow we were able to attract a dynamic chief librarian like Charlie Kregel.
Under his leadership, the library has introduced innovations like lending out E-readers, liberating sight-challenged patrons from the limited world of large-print books. Also, library members can get access to Rosetta Stone Totale language courses—for free. Initiatives like these help bring our community into the 21st century as full participants.
Plans, including site selection for the new library, have progressed through a succession of democratically elected City of Powell River councils and serious money has already been invested in groundwork.
Most of us live within limited means and our cost of living keeps going up. Many of us have scaled back travel to Vancouver Island or the Lower Mainland—it’s just too expensive. Similarly, many families with school-aged children have had to scale back extracurricular activities.
Exactly for these reasons, a well-run library is a sound investment in open, ongoing education, accessible to all.
Information and education make the learner more marketable, thus more able to generate income, which income in turn will come back to the community. A well-appointed library will also offer countless exciting, constructive opportunities for young and old people alike to have fun, develop and learn.
Yes, we will have to invest in it, but there will be help from other funding sources. Even if it will costs me a few extra tax dollars, I’ll be happy to make it work, as I know that we’ll get an excellent return on our investment.
Charlotte Sparham
Oak Street
