Conspicuous by its absence from editor John Harding’s Sept. 17 editorial about the Oceanside Health Centre was recognition of the essential role that local residents played in advocating for this facility.
The fact is that the opening of the OHC is the product of decades of hard work by the local community.
Although the government eventually acquiesced to local demands, it didn’t do so without resistance. Our local governments were supportive but, over time, left the fight to a federation of local residents associations.
Through the tenacious leadership of Tom Davies, local residents put in many hundreds of volunteer hours, collecting more than 6,000 signatures on a petition and pushing the MLA and senior VIHA officials hard.
They simply refused to take no for an answer.
The community owes them a debt of gratitude.
Our association (Qualicum Beach Residents’ Association) is proud to have been associated with this long tough campaign, without which we would not have a new health facility in our community today.
Bill Adkins
Qualicum Beach