We have nothing but praise for councillors Heidi Rast and John Rogers, and nothing but disdain for the others.
Our deepest disdain is reserved for Mayor David Screech, who originally ran for council on a platform of “residents first,” and firmly believes in this slogan. What a load. He was single-minded from the outset about this project going ahead as proposed, and listened to nothing anyone in opposition had to say. Cynics among us might speculate on what is really in this for him. We heard him be rude and dismissive to his constituents on any number of occasions. We saw his petulance and abrasiveness, and we wonder how he ever achieved the rank of mayor. He is a complete disgrace who sold us out at the first opportunity. We will do everything within our power to ensure that his first term as mayor of View Royal is his last.
Council could have held the building height at four storeys and made this something that the vast majority of View Royal residents would have accepted. Instead, this beautiful vista we look out on today will be replaced by Screech’s Folly – a wall of massive buildings towering over the tree line. They had alternatives and chose not to take them.
They ignored all of the many intelligent and articulate people who raised numerous valid and irrefutable objections to this project. Shame on the three of them whose legacy will be the trashing of Portage Inlet. They are the stewards of our assets, and they have just voted to make a lump of coal out of a diamond. Realstar is popping the Champagne corks and we who live here are crying into our beer.
Susan Custock & Jim Nodwell
View Royal
