Dear editor,
While at Seal Bay park recently, I noticed, on the backside of the information board, a one-page notice detailing the slated improvements to the parking situation commencing Nov. 5.
I realize that access to parking is getting worse as more mainlanders are moving here. But, I think it’s ironic that we love being in the forest so much that we are willing to clear cut a large chunk of it so that we can park more cars thereby have less forest to enjoy. If the logic is to keep increasing parking spaces to accommodate more and more people, pretty soon there wouldn’t be a park, just a parking lot.
Of course, that’s silly. We wouldn’t do that, would we? At a certain point we would have to limit the parking expansions. People coming out to the park would then realize that the parking lot is full and go to another one of our beautiful parks. What about the Hardy Road parking lot for Seal Bay. That’s huge and barely used. Why can’t we do that now?
Since safety is a concern, couldn’t the CVRD have decided to put in traffic calming measures on Bates Rd? What about reducing speed limits? What about a lighted crosswalk? Maybe more roadside parking stalls? So what if it hinders the traffic for a small section of the road. Why do people have to go from point A to point B as fast as they can?
We expect everything for our convenience. Why can’t we consider other beings’ right to life?
Consider that the home of countless animals and other creatures will be destroyed. When you destroy their habitat, animals die. One of the leading causes of death for all species is habitat loss. If you think “Oh, it’s just inconsequential tiny creatures,” consider that humans are microscopic from space. It’s all perspective. Except those tiny creatures are vital to a healthy ecosystem. People are not.
We are the destroyer of ecosystems. We can’t seem to stop ourselves despite all the knowledge we have. Intelligent beings? I think not. I know that it is too late to stop the “improvements” at Bates Road but I just wanted to bring forth things to consider, for next time.
Paula Fee,
Courtenay