James Island paradise: A palatable balance It’s not exactly filling a need for affordable housing in Greater Victoria, but Pacific Parkland Properties Inc. is coming through with a development that lives up to the company’s promises. And the plan has many pluses. James Island property will be exclusive. Lots start at $280,000. Those are one-acre, serviced lots. And there will only be 210 of them, in seven village-like clusters. The island itself is about 760 acres in size. It’s in that design the magic of the James Island project lies. By making the lots expensive, the developer wasn’t forced to jam the island with housing. But developer Marv Holland learned early on in the process that a high-density James Island would not suit recreationalists or environmentalists, and would probably fail. So he came up with a plan that complements the island’s natural beauty. He decided to leave some areas open to the public. He decided some of the fallow deer will remain. Pacific Parkland is also developing a golf course on the island. The course will serve the general public as well as members. The pressure for building new courses in Central Saanich and North Saanich speaks for the need for more golf courses. It’s a delicate balance Pacific Parkland is trying to achieve. James Island needs to be exclusive enough that the people who buy property there get what they think they have eamed the right to deserve: a little privacy, a little paradise. It needs to be public enough to keep recreationalists who have been using the island for years happy. And it needs to be carefully enough planned to preserve its beauty. All are served well if Holland has found that balance. It appears that he has. Letters, letters: Which do we publish? We get letters. Some we use, some we don’t use. Unfortunately, we seem to be getting a growing number we can’t use. So here are a few reminders. The Review runs no unsigned letters. The Review doesn’t run pseudonyms, and only withholds a letter writer’s name when his safety or well-being are at risk. We also must be able to verify each writer’s existence, so a phone number and address are essential. Letters should be kept short and to the point. Under 500 words is preferred. Letters should be typewritten, although neat handwriting is acceptable. And letters must address a public matter. Letters should be submitted by Friday before 5 p.m., and will normally be published in one of the next two issues, space permitting. Vander Zalm’s vision: What about democracy? The truth is out. Bill Vander Zalm, a man democratically elected to lead this province, doesn’t believe in democracy within his own party. There is no room for dissent in Social Credit, he told the province during what amounted to a free-time political speech. (Perhaps: this will be his new way of handling the media. He’ll keep planning speeches about his future — and using them to state his platform.) Now, Social Crediters should do the right thing — and decide there’s no room for Vander Zalm as their leader. Volume 76 Issue No. 4 —————$__ ——____| TheReview Wednesday, J: anuary 24,1990 — A6 — oco00 [Z cceTUTOQPUUMOORLEICTTCENTUC UT itAND FINALLY, I'D LIKE To BIASED, LEFT-WING, ANTI FREE ENTERPRISE, VANDER ZALM-BASHING NEWS MEDIA... ABOUT THE MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FREE PERSONAL PUBLICITY De \ GOTTEN THE PAST FEW MONTHS= THAAAA-AANKS! j ; om | SAY A WORD TO THE TheReview Serving The Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9781 2nd Street Sidney, B.C V8L 4P8 or PO. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C V8L 3S5 Second Class Mail Registration #0128 656-1151 Publisher: Vic Swan Editor: George Lee AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER 1889 NE AS DIAN COM a = Se UN; GEN ~ ae a iP : VERIFIED CIRCULATION CONTROLLED How they | stacked up Editor: Saanich municipal recycling committee’s phone book recycling project was a fine example of a community volunteer effort. The ideas of a few members of the committee were acted upon with enthusiasm by willing volunteers from the committee and from the community. ©! As word of the project spread and public support grew, the Capi- tal Regional District responded by providing funds and collection bins for the recycling of phone books in other core municipalities. Saanich recycling committee is proud to have initiated this enter- prise which was carried out entirely by volunteers. Thanks to all the individuals, groups and workplaces that participated, thereby diverting 13,500 books or 24 tonnes from the Hartland Land- fill (saving $528 at the current tipping fee of $22 per tonne). I. Hoffmann Saanich recycling committee Pay aiiention fo disregard Editor: I am disappointed in what appears to be media lack of inter- est in the flagrant disregard of our democratic process by a small majority of North Saanich council members. Some of the elected members seem to believe that once elected their decision is final and should not be questioned. I always thought that they were elected to recognize the wishes of those who elected them, unless the wishes were illegal. The case in point is the petition circulated to all North Saanich residents by the Patricia Bay Golf and Country Club. The results were overwhelmingly in favor (86 per cent) of a golf course on the Aylard Farm property. Why, then, do the elected mem- bers not follow the wishes of those who elected them to office? Why. do they put forward the defence that the petition was questionable? I think it was a very bold move that could have put the society out of business, as it gave everyone the Tight to Say yes, no, or no opinion. Is there something else we are missing, political vendetta per- haps? The seller is not popular with some members of council. If that’s the reason for rejection, they are persecuting many interested parties to get their revenge. Revenge should not be part of a democratic process. I suggest the media should look closer as the attitude of council does not make sense environmen- tally or economically for the municipality. I hope Eastern Europeans don’t pattern their reforms on the opera- tion procedures now in place in North Saanich. They would be very disappointed. D.C. Patterson North Saanich Moih ignorance Editor: Your issue of Dec. 27 included a letter from Keith Gibbens con- cerning the gypsy moth threat on the Saanich Peninsula. Gibbens (“Study moths first,” Readers’ Mailbox) suggested that the estab- lishment here of this notorious worldwide pest is inevitable, and that researchers should concen- trate on determining the effects of natural parasitic enemies as a pri- ority. He further suggested that Agriculture Canada’s current pro- gram of detection and eradication may be shortsighted and irrational. Because I find Gibbens’ view so narrow and dangerous, I feel com- pelled to respond for the benefit of your readers and other residents of the Greater Victoria area. The following points and opportunities are offered for those residents and homeowners who may wish to be better informed that he is. 1. Gypsy moth has been studied in North America for over 100 years. One of its major attributes (as suggested by its name) is its tremendous spread capability. Subsequently, its rapid establish- ment causes multiple problems. This is largely because it is an aggressive foreign pest without significant resident natural control agents. Without an active and assertive prescribed eradication program, as conducted in B.C. during the past decade, this pest easily establishes itself at damag- ing: levels. Residents in parts of Ontario, @ Quebec, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey where the battle was either never waged or was lost, now Tesort to extensive and expensive annual spray programs to protect their valued plants. The situation in one of Ontario’s prime resort areas has been recently docu- mented on CBC’s Fifth Estate. It is unlikely that a balance wigg. , be achieved between the pest and its enemies for many decades. = 2. Gypsy moth populations in ~ Ontario infested more thayy 200,000 hectares during 1989. The major concer there has been theg damage and nuisance caused by this pest to people, their health, their property and their recrea- tional needs. As stated in the Ottawa Citizen (Aug. 11, 1989), “Officials blame the increase on mild weather, lack of predators and the prolonged hatch of the bug this sping.” I believe British Coluneg bia entomologists and scientists will confirm the lack of natural predators and parasitoids here also. Once established, the explosion - of gypsy moth populations will undoubtedly occur rapidly all over Greater Victoria. Would your read- 2 ers accept hundreds of hairy cater-_ & pillars on every lawn chair, deck” & and driveway? Would millions of caterpillars munching the lush foliage of trees and shrubs along § our streets and in our backyards be of no concem? 3. Millions of dollars (yes, tax dollars) have been spent in several jurisdictions by governments for large-scale emergency spray pro- grams against gypsy moth. Reg & example, Oregon and the US. federal governments spent over & $17 million in 1985 to ensure § continued flow of forest product & shipments to California after that State’s threat of embargo. At stake were shipments valued at $75 million annually. The questions for us are similar: shouldn’*t we spend a few thou- sand tax dollars every year to ie continuing to prevent gypsy motii ie residency in B.C vs. asking gov- ermmments for millions of dollars to protect our properties as in Ontario and to ensure shipments of our products as in Oregon? 4. If Gibbens is a homeowne, he might be surprised to know that Continued on Page A%