Editor:
Re: BBQs in limbo, May 31.
Glad to see White Rock’s new city manager is concerned for the environment.
My concern is, where council will take this next? Banning all residents’ barbecues?
Much more pollution – than the five times the Bayview Park barbecues are used annually – is created by the tourists we are trying to attract.
Six of the seven council members put their hands up in support of boosting tourism and revitalizing the promenade by allowing restricted access to responsible owners walking their dogs, yet once elected are firmly against it. At the last council meeting, they passed Bylaw 1959 which actually reduced the available dog areas for tourists and residents, and increased fines!
If council was serious about showing any concern for our environment, they would have forced BNSF Rail to use concrete ties like other communities in Washington and Oregon did when the ties were replaced last year.
Based on a University of Toronto study, each creosote rail tie is infused with 44 pounds of the Class 2 carcinogen, of which 10 pounds will excrete into our bay and parks over the first few years. Based on the number of ties BNSF replaced in White Rock/South Surrey, about 225,000 pounds of creosote will leach into our beach and promenade.
Perhaps council could do what they said pre-election and then focus on the big picture.
Let’s try to attract visitors – and residents – and not scare them away.
M. Armstrong, White Rock
