Bathtub Races

I find it so terribly ironic that I'm out of town and missing my namesake's event. I'm in Vancouver for the time being and am very much looking forward to getting home and sleeping in my own bed again. Visiting with family can be a tiring obligation. 

Looking forward to catching up on blogs and blogging myself when I return!

Full Steam Ahead?

As you probably read in the paper today the Island Corridor Society is looking to increase support in renewing and enhancing the train corridor on Vancouver Island.

I've written before in support for rail travel here. I wholeheartedly believe in the logic behind developing affordable and extensive train services on Vancouver Island, all over BC and across Canada. I was excited to read about what the Friend's of the Corridor are working towards.

Please consider signing up in support of this worthy issue. Your privacy is assured and names and email addresses are not posted (unless you want you name listed on the site).

Party in the Park Monday Night!

I meant to post this the other day but alas, I must have hit "save" instead of "publish".

The Living Room with not be hosted in the Balmoral Hotel like the VIHA originally wanted. It's bittersweet news since this low barrier program will no doubt be pushed on some other building in the south end of Nanaimo. We'll just have to keep our ears to the ground for last minute notice of where they intend to put it next. I have little faith these days that the VIHA have the people they are attempting to serve or south end community's best interests at heart.

All unpleasantness aside, there is going to be a community potluck party in the park on Monday night instead of the organised march to the city counsel meeting to show community strength over this recent issue. The potluck will be at Deverill Park at 5 pm. Bring a dish to share, something to sit on and any else that might (legally) enhance the evening.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

How did you spend your $100 Climate Change Dividend?

A couple weeks ago, I put mine towards a Xtracycle that I've been coveting for the last two years. It finally made it up to the top of my priorities list. When I was looking to buy one in Canada I noticed that they could be found in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. I chose to spend my money in Saskatchewan, knowing that richer Alberta and Ontario don't need it as badly. I bought my Xtracycle at Escape Sports. The owner, Jonathon was a real help and went out of his way to ship it on the bus where it would get handled less and I could save on cost. It was cheaper than he even expected it to be. 

I've never enjoyed driving and now I have even more opportunities to not drive a vehicle. The Xtracycle offers me the ability to ride my bike further and to carry more weight. I can easily carry a weeks worth of groceries and one of my kids on the back. Last week I was carrying more than eighty pounds! My husband is going to build a double seat so I can carry both my kids, since my younger son is too small to just hang on. I'm sure for longer trips my older daughter could tire and a seat for her would be ever useful. 

The best part about it is that you hardly notice that it's even attached. You aren't towing any of the extra weight thanks to it being evenly distributed between the wheels allowing it to behave in the same fashion my bike was originally designed to. I may go a bit slower on some of the hills but as long as one understands and is adept at shifting gears and planning the bike route to avoid the steeper hills it's a pleasant, enjoyable way to ride.

The other night the kids and I all hopped on and my husband gave us a ride. It was easier than expected and pretty nice to be on the receiving end of the ride for once!

I can't say enough about this purchase and the value it's adding to our lives! If you see me riding around town, don't hesitate to comment or ask questions! I even have a few extra Xtracycle flyers in my bag if you're interested.

My breakfast the other morning was too good to not share. We had fruit and I made my favourite Sweet Potato Honey Biscuits. They were so rich and tasty. Since they are so quick and easy to make we have them often throughout the year. If there's interest I'd probably be willing to share the recipe for this or any other meal we make...

Lovely Evening Last Night

This was supper last night. Corn on the cob with marinated and barbecued veggie kabobs. 

It certainly was lovely last night and today looks like it will be as well. Hope everyone enjoys the day!

Negative Option With Cable Bay Lands Project

Negative option marketing is morally questionable business behaviour and yet it seems the city has embraced this policy with enthusiasm. 

Go Nanaimo Blog has laid out the Cable Bay Lands Project quite clearly. 

The city wants to take 39 hectares from the Regional District of Nanaimo to add to it's 420 hectares and allow an Alberta developer to come in and build a high density resort. The city has given Nanaimo residents opposed to this project about a month during prime holiday season to sign an Elector Response Form. You can also find and drop off these forms at the Green Store or the Thirsty Camel. If the city receives less than 5815 forms than the deal will go ahead. 

The Alberta developer wants to build more than 1800 residential units, a golf course and resort on this forested and trail covered land. This is a wildlife corridor and includes wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas. This self contained resort will bring little, if any benefit to the Nanaimo area. In fact, the burden on the city infrastructure will offset whatever tax payments the resort will make to the city. Not to mention the inevitable upgrades and civil works the city will have to provide to support the large scale development. Power lines, fiber optics, sewer, water, gas, roads and intersections.... 

The Cable Bay area is already subject to a relatively high rate of property crime. Adding a new subdivision so far from town and police services will likely only increase potential targets for thieves. These will be largely seasonal homes occupied by absentee well to do owners. We don't need another distraction for already overworked police services. 

It would be nice if the city of Nanaimo would consider a plebiscite that more accurately and thoroughly establishes the opinion of the citizens. Financial gain for a few should never be the bottom line. Real estate developers have become experts at selling these projects but they seldom serve the interests of anyone but a handful of investors. 

Please take a moment to fill out an Electoral Response Form at the Green Store or the Thirsty Camel downtown.

VIHA and CMHA and Balmoral Hotel, Oh My

Thanks to Dilling for the heads up with this post. 

Despite the lack of adequate notification to people who live in the south end of Nanaimo that this meeting was taking place it was reported that about 120 concerned neighbours attended. It was so crowded that the hosting South End Community Association put a speaker in the hallway so attendees could hear those speaking into the microphone inside. Those who attended cared enough that they withstood the stifling heat in the building.

I was left feeling conflicted at this meeting. On one hand, I was pleased that I wasn't the only one with the concerns over what the Vancouver Island Health Authority and the Canadian Mental Health Association is proposing. On the other hand, I was really let down that it appeared that VIHA and CMHA representatives were acting on the obligation to be there. They seemed to be going through the motions instead of listening to the opinions and concerns shared. If I could have asked one question it would have been to ask where these representatives lived. I highly doubt any of them live in the south end.

The biggest disappointment for me wasn't even a main topic for the night. It was realising that when we're told that created housing is going to be spread out over the Nanaimo area they really mean it will be spread out over the South Nanaimo area. There seems to be no intention of opening up housing outside of this already burdened neighbourhood. To hell with the people that live here who have been working hard to turn the neighbourhood around and create a worthwhile community.

As many many people have already attested, having a low barrier style resource center in a neighbourhood that is actively trying to make drug sellers and users unwelcome is a serious step backwards. To impose this on the community is unfair and unkind. I can see the benefit to having a low barrier style living room space for the purpose of getting these people off the street as well as getting them in touch with crisis response in the interest in harm reduction. The location however, is vitally important to get right. It needs to be central but also enclosed enough that it discourages people from loitering and hanging out in large groups in front or near by. It's a difficult balance of offering addicts access to much needed services and making it uncomfortable enough that they won't linger after their treatment. 

VIHA and CMHA seem to be giving the whole harm reduction strategy lip service rather than wholly buying in to the concept. They consistently don't employee enough people and jeopardise the whole process by underfunding and understaffing the front line service. There's a serious lack of planing. They don't consult with the city, neighbourhoods or police. They simply look for the cheapest building immediate to the problem area and slam as many services as possible in it. Many of these people need hospital services every day or week. Why aren't they creating housing and service options near the hospital? 

The most significant pillar of the harm reduction strategy is getting the people at risk removed from their stressers. That means off the streets, away from direct access to drugs and the drug culture. This is why VIHA should be looking outside of South Nanaimo and around the municipality and throughout the central island. We only need to look at the problems facing the city of Victoria right now to understand how horribly wrong things can go if this stress is concentrated in one area. 

Organisations like VIHA and CMHA must work with the community. If there isn't significant buy in and commitment at all levels then the whole thing is for naught. It's important to remember that the homeless and those at risk are still members of our society and we have an obligation to help them move towards a healthy lifestyle. Throwing pennies in the wishing well hoping this will go away is more expensive in the long run and ultimately helps no one.

From the South End Community Association:

HI everyone: well, the media has picked up on our issue and we need to ensure that our message is heard. 

The first article in Thursday's Nanaimo Daily News, focuses on much of what happened at the meeting on Wed nite. Here's the link.

Today's articles reflect the city's growing rebuttal to our efforts. Here's the link. 

It appears that their major argument is going to be that we've got all the druggies and homeless here anyway, that we are a neighbourhood under great stress and they are the great white knight riding in to help us. 

Yes, we have had some problems in the past few weeks, but those have been due to at least 2 drug busts that have sent people out onto the street. The last 18 months has been relatively free of the type of hassles we used to suffer years ago. And we are doing most of it ourselves, with the help of the RCMP and bylaws. We have taken charge of our neighbourhood. We need to bring THIS message across.

Please, please take the time to reply to one of these articles....NOW...there's a section at the end where you can post. The media will help us, but ONLY if we feed it...and we know that the PR folks on the other side will be doing exactly that.

Or send an e-mail directly to the editor: editor@nanaimodailynews.com

The Nanaimo Bulletin also published an article on the front page of Thursday's paper (no link avail) and there will be an article on Saturday. They are happy to post as many letters to the editor as they can fit in, so don't forget them, because this is the paper that many of your neighbours read.

Here is their e-mail address: editor@nanaimobulletin.com

What you write doesn't need to be perfect...and if you are stuck, just call me at 740.0123 and I'll help.

And please, send a copy of your letter to us so we can bundle them together for city council.

Thanks

Barbara Densmore

Also, city council meeting Monday night July 14, please mark on your calendars. We are on the agenda.