To the editor,
Re: New tent city ‘a good option,’ says mayor, May 22; Discontent City campers don’t plan on leaving, May 29.
Such a drastic flip-flop on policy must be some kind of record, considering the glacial pace most government decisions take. I wonder how much it cost the taxpayers to remove gates and other accommodations for this new tent city, these expenses apparently being approved with the intent of the tent city being removed from city hall and thus from consideration.
The phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’ occurs to me.
Don’t misunderstand me, I am totally on the side of these unfortunate people who have been failed by every level of government for years. If it were me I would move into Bowen Park, start chopping trees for shelter and heat and would be trapping rabbits and ducks for food rather than wait for some government too busy trying to get re-elected to worry about me starving in the rain.
It would appear that moving from the city hall area to Port Drive has, according to the mayor, placed Port Place “under siege,” and yet the tent city is about the same distance from Port Place as it was at city hall. No such complaints were made in all the time it was there.
Historically Port Place is located in the part of town where most of the homeless seem to congregate as it is also the area where the few government facilities to help them are also located. I am guessing not too many of the homeless are commuting from the north of Nanaimo.
Being homeless, one has no address or access to the election process, where the people complaining are registered voters. Perhaps the mayor and council are considering the upcoming election and are bending over backwards to satisfy registered voters?
Rod Hancock, Nanaimo
To the editor,
Re: Discontent City campers don’t plan on leaving, May 29.
Ironic that a piece of city land that could have been used to benefit everyone via a multiplex has now been taken over by a small group of out-of-town freeloaders and local thieves, drug users and their mouthpieces who do not want to work or follow rules but demand housing for free. Give them a shovel and broom.
Take care of our retired elders and seniors above all else who have worked all their lives and followed the laws of the land. They are the people foremost who must be given our help.
Merrill John, Nanaimo
To the editor,
Re: New tent city ‘a good option,’ says mayor, May 22.
Wow. Is that a decision by council from an in camera meeting and a resolution to rise and report? Or is this Bill McKay going rogue again? Who approved this spending?
Considering Nanaimo is working hard to encourage more cruise ships, why is McKay applauding the organizational skills of out-of-towners setting up right where potential visitors on the cruise ships would get a first impression of Nanaimo?
Tim McGrath, Nanaimo
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