I attended Parksville city council’s meeting April 4 and was somewhat disappointed.
I could not believe Mayor Marc Lefebvre said we did not have any homeless people living on our streets because they were living out of our city limits in the bush. Councillor Leanne Salter had first-hand information about women and children living in their cars and in various places in our city.
I have personally helped several homeless people in the downtown area with blankets and clothing and money. We as a community and especially our mayor and city councillors need to be better informed of what is going on and stop pushing the problem down the road.
Salter put a motion out to look into alternative accommodations for our homeless and the mayor, Coun. Kirk Oates and Coun. Mary Beil voted against it without even looking at possible alternative arrangements, which will eventually have to be considered.
Most of the people attending the meeting had the same response with the mayor’s condescending tone when he told us to be quiet and that he was elected to make the decisions with council. The mayor seems to forget that we the people of this great City of Parksville elected him and all the councillors.
We have a problem with homeless people and it’s our responsibility to address alternative housing, food, medical and in some cases education. It all comes down to the money, so let’s become creative as a community to raise the funds needed. Council closed the door to possible provincial and federal funding as well by voting down Salter’s motion.
Gordon WilsonParksville