Very scary event, this fire at Pym and Soriel (The NEWS, Oct. 29). This property has had complaints every year for the past 12 years, according to minutes of city council meetings.
Twelve years and nothing accomplished to get that property cleaned up, other than letters and visits from the bylaw enforcement officer. This is just another example of the inadequacy of the city’s bylaws and the lack of enforcement of the existing bylaws. If I were the next door neighbour, I would be just a little more than irate. He came within a whisker of his house being part of the recent fire at the property in question.
This has to be a big wake-up or shake-up call for city council and enforcement staff. It is time for a serious review of the city’s bylaws, and a serious review of the city’s enforcement efforts. Twelve years of complaints and no visible improvement. This is not the only property that is the subject of complaints for several years. Go through council minutes for the past several years. You will find numerous references to similar situations. Then drive around and look at the properties. Draw your own conclusions as to the effectiveness of our bylaws and enforcement.
Editor John Harding got it right in the last paragraph of his recent editorial. Bylaws need more teeth, the mayor and council need to lead on this, and they need to do it with more speed than what we’ve seen from this group in the past.
And while they are at the bylaw review, do something about RV, boat, trailer and derelict vehicle parking.
Bob LarsonParksville
