Editor John Harding’s recent editorial and story on the twin boondoggles of AWS and ERWS (“Water funding questions point to what’s wrong with government” and “Water, water everywhere, but...”, The NEWS, June 26) provided more information and insight into the proposed mega water project than all the alleged ‘extensive public consultation’ by local and municipal government.
While residents of the water service areas were asked to contemplate the advantages of ASR, to deliberate on the architectural style of the proposed treatment plant or to ponder the size of a visitor’s parking lot, Harding emphasizes the difficulty in obtaining voter assent in the face of huge tax increases imminent without infrastructure grants from senior levels of government. Faced with that looming reality, and with Nanoose Bay and Parksville residents increasingly suspicious that expansion of the current system is primarily to subsidize BCIMC’s development at Fairwinds, it is highly probable the November referendum would fail in both communities.
Our community is fortunate to have a local newspaper editor with exceptional communication skills, an analytical approach to editorializing and a firm grasp on local issues. If he maintains this level of reporting we’ll have to call him ‘Bird Dog John’!
Jim Lettic
Nanoose Bay