Editor:
I live in a townhouse complex that allows children. Despite that permission, children were rare here until about five years ago.
Now, whenever one of us oldies sells to go into an apartment or assisted living place, young people with children buy in. Reason being, there is no way they can afford a house in this neighbourhood or anywhere else in Vancouver and surroundings.
Comfortable, cute little White Rock and South Surrey is being turned into a mega-house area where small houses are demolished and houses with five and more bedrooms are being built. Hardly any front yard, cement from wall to wall and no backyard to speak of.
What we need here are houses that small families can afford. Where children can grow up with a backyard instead of playing in the driveway of a townhouse complex.
What on earth are Surrey and White Rock city hall officials thinking by allowing these buildings to go up everywhere? I do not know of anyone local who can afford a mansion. So who is buying them?
Well, most of us know who but with political correctness in full force, one dare not mention it. This is so very wrong and I feel so sorry for my neighbours who will probably never know the joy of watching your kids run around in your own yard, safe and sound.
Someone has to do something. I just don’t know how we can stop this. Anyone got an idea?
Edie Williams, Surrey
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I am very lucky to live in a lovely neighbourhood in Ocean Park with my mother and young son.
But what made it lovely is drastically changing at an extremely rapid rate. I can see four homes being built from my home. A 1½-block area. The previous homes on the properties – all in great shape and large – have all been torn down and are being replaced by new builds all at least twice the size of the previous ones.
So, what made this a lovely neighbourhood, community, and family-filled place to live – and I assume what the new owners were attracted to – will no longer exist in a few years.
Daiga Booth, Surrey
