In response to the Nov. 30 article ‘Chamber critical of council over Townley Lodge’, we have an example of the homily ‘you can’t believe everything you read in the bottom of a birdcage’, a favorite of Ellery Queen’s father.
The chamber of commerce has a lot of gall chastising council on a matter it evidently knows little about. I attended the council meeting where this rejection was made, and I do not recall the chamber of commerce representative speaking to the decision.
The “loud minority” so rudely referred to actually consists of over 90 per cent of the 110 or so residences within two blocks of the proposed monstrosity. A petition was presented with that information. The “...done everything reasonable to work with council and the community...” consisted of presenting a completed design and then making trivial cosmetic alterations paying lip service to consultation on community concerns while steadfastly refusing to consider the main objections.
I think that the chamber might more profitably be advocating that business operating in the municipality pay their employees a living wage. That initiative would do far more to reduce the need for taxpayers to be subsidizing the chamber members’ employee housing.
G. D. Young
Saanich