Editor's Note: Due to the overwhelming number of letters to the editor relating to Powell River Public Library, and because the subject of the library is on the agenda for City of Powell River Council meeting Thursday, September 18, the library letters have been published only online this week. All writers have given permission for this to be the case.
Letters relating to other subjects, which were printed in the paper, follow the library letters.
Library at Willingdon?
Everybody has a different opinion on what site to use.
I did prefer the site about the RCMP station until the firehall claimed it [“Council approves firehall site,” December 11, 2013]. Easy access, bus route, quiet area. People would appreciate that more than screaming sirens from fire trucks.
To get to the Willingdon site you have to find your way through Spaghetti Junction, no easy task coming or going.
I, for one, will not use this intersection to go to a library.
KD Scott
Manson Avenue
Visualize this
Miller Hull’s presentation to City of Powell River Council September 4 placed significant emphasis on the “site line” of the two properties studied for potential library sites on Joyce Avenue [“Chapter turns for library,” September 10].
Site line is the appearance of the building from traffic passing by.
As the number one reason given at the recent new library open house for supporting the Willingdon South location and design was “Aesthetics/Landmark facility” it seem to be the major characteristic of importance to those surveyed.
Artist illustrations of new buildings/libraries are sometimes hard to appreciate. In the case of the new library, Willingdon Design, we are fortunate to have a real live model.
When driving Marine Avenue, look west as you pass Marine Traders (with all due respect, as it is an excellent location for a marine business). You will see a roof. The building is 26 feet below Marine road grade.
Now visualize an amphitheatre at the south end of Marine Traders, 25 feet from the busy intersection. Acoustic and child safety concerns? A indoor/outdoor room, in a park setting facing a retaining wall?
Poor accessibility, awkward, busy intersection, at sea level, hill climbs inevitable.
Poor lighting on two sides, 26 feet below Marine road grade, necessitating costly vaulted roof structure and skylight windows.
Is council’s preferred choice the best choice?
Paul McMahon
Invermere Court
Decision day
It’s decision day on Thursday, September 18, at 7 pm at city hall. After years of dithering, City of Powell River Council will finally come to the public with an announcement on the new Powell River Public Library [“Chapter turns for library,” September 10].
Just like the last council meeting, huge crowds are expected, so get there early.
Bring a book with you just in case we get more stalling. Maybe check it out from the library. Make it a soft cover. We don't want to hurt anyone if we feel the need to throw it at them....(kidding!).
Cleve Hamilton
Stittle Road
Twenty-three years
I have lived in Powell River for nearly 25 years and the library issue has been discussed for 23 of those years.
I’m fed up with the naysayers with petitions getting their friends to sign (who don’t want to offend and sign anyway) and those people who drive around with a board on the truck saying No to the new library.
Here we have a library jammed in the basement of an old building and yet it is winning awards because of our super staff.
There are people around us who want Powell River to be called the Cheap Capital of BC, put the library in some old decrepit building, to save a measly $20 per year on their taxes. You might spend more than that on coffee every week.
Buying or renting an old building that is worn down makes no economic sense.
This place that you want to keep for eternity is a gravel parking lot, it was dirty old unused arena/city storage for 20 years and it is also a sanitation dump. You want to keep that? Give me a break [“Library board prompts council to ask question,” July 16].
From the recent letters to the Peak, one person said go buy a book if you want to read. I went on Amazon. With the three books I had checked out of the library, to purchase them would have cost $39. I read three books per month—you do the math.
Another said “Buy a Kindle.” Amazon sold Kindles far below the manufacturing cost because it estimated that every Canadian would spend approximately $140 per year on electronic books.
So, may I suggest, turn off your TV and go read the facts about the library. You pay at least $60 per month for cable TV and watch advertising 54 per cent of the time.
We will have a wonderful, ecologically correct and beautiful library for all of our community that we will all be proud of (even you naysayers), in a relaxing spot with a wonderful view. What more can you ask for?
Mayor Dave Formosa, stop sitting on your hands and give us a new library, before we go to Year 24.
Max Ferrier
Random Road
Too good to miss
“City staff will research former furniture building offer” [“Private sector provides less costly library option,” September 10].
The private sector’s offer for a library is the best option we have heard of in the many years of ideas for locating a new library. In purchasing a home, location is a major selling point. Here we are offered the perfect location. It is centrally located on a main street with ample parking, on the bus route, and in close proximity to small businesses and a major grocery store.
This is just for beginnings. The building of course is not new, though not that old either, but it is sound in every aspect. With over 17,000 square feet of floor space, it would more than quadruple the area of the library we now have.
There is no major outdoor construction needed. Interior renovations can be done rain or shine.
As it now stands, it’s almost ready for moving in. With the $150,000 per annum income from the rental of the upper floor that is just an added bonus.
It is almost too good to be true, but it is. Let’s go for it.
Norm and Sharie Hutton
Duncan Street
Speaking for the people?
City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa needs to understand that he was not elected by the people of Texada Island nor does he represent them in any way. He has no business using his official position as mayor to suggest to federal Minister of Transportation Lisa Raitt that Texada would serve as a good location for coal storage [“Transportation minister hears concerns,” August 13]. It was wrong for him to suggest that he was speaking for Texada’s interests.
Further, to claim that coal storage would create 15 jobs on Texada ($800,000 to $1,000,000 cost) is neither supported nor realistic. Conversations with Lafarge Canada Inc. suggest anywhere from none to maybe five jobs.
There is large opposition to the global use of coal and the storage of it on Texada. Formosa makes no mention of the large number of Texada and Powell River residents speaking to city council in opposition to coal and the environmental and health risks involved. Were these facts shared with the federal minister?
Formosa should focus his energies on Powell River not jurisdictions where he has no authority or business.
John Hollo
Wall Street, Van Anda
Phone scam
Last week I received a phone call from a loved one asking me if I was okay.
A telephone scammer had called my grandparents, pretending to be me [“Scam alert,” June 18]. The scammer told them I had been in a bad car accident and to send $3,000 to my lawyer so that I could get myself out of a really horrific situation.
I posted information about this scam on social media sites to spread the word and was shocked by how many this has already happened to. A couple of people told me they have heard on the news that this kind of scam has been going around. I am hoping this letter will make more people in Powell River aware that our town is being hit as well.
These particular scammers had quite the story and were quite the actors. I would hate to see anyone out there fall for this, never mind someone in our own community. I never thought this kind of thing could happen to me, but it has really rattled me.
Rachelle Letkeman
Laburnum Avenue
Same question
I am writing in reference to my letter to Medical Health Officer Dr. Paul Martiquet [“Who is responsible?” September 10]. I asked him who was responsible for safeguarding coastal communities from the health and environmental impacts of the expansion of the coal terminal at Lafarge Canada Inc. on Texada Island.
I was pleased to receive a prompt reply in which Martiquet agreed that my concerns were valid and supported my call for a health and environmental impact assessment. He told me that responsibility lies with the ministry of energy and mines and I have since re-directed my concerns to minister Bill Bennett.
However, I was discouraged to hear from Martiquet that on September 13, 2013, he (as well as his supporting colleagues - Chief Medical Officers of the Fraser Health Authority and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority) had already sent a letter to Ed Taje of the ministry. In that letter Martiquet voiced all of my concerns and more and called for a health impact assessment before the project moved forward.
I was appalled to hear from Martiquet that his concerns were completely disregarded.
Not responding to legitimate health concerns, especially from health officers whose duty it is to protect the public, is not what I call taking responsibility.
So, I ask again: Who is taking responsibility for the health and environmental welfare of Texada Island and coastal communities?
Mary Lock
Gillies Bay Road, Gillies Bay
