; Councillors, :

. ‘Wednesday, January 11, 1967.

Past Year
a Reviewed

In.. his’: inaugural : address” to
~ North -Saanich- council on: Tues-
day afternoon following: ‘the
sWearing-in. ceremony, . Reeve . J.
B. Cumming reviewed a very
successful year 1966. and took a
_ bold look ‘into’ the “municipal
“futures”
.. A significant feature was his
‘appointment of.a committee
-headed by. Councillor Geo. R.
Aylard to investigate: any pos-
sible union of .the municipalities.
..of Sidney. and.. North Saanich.
“The: reeve: urged that the. Town
» of Sidney should: strike 2 a similar
~. committee.
HIS: ‘ADDRESS
Following’ is the text of Reeve)
~Cumming’s address:

ladies ead. “gentle-
men:. os
Phe yea v. 1967 is “the beginning

ofa. second: century: for Canada’
and: the- beginning: of -a Second
year ‘for our young municipality
of North Saanich. Just’ over’ a
century ago, . Governor Kennedy,
in. February 1866, presented the
Legislature of the Colony. of
Vancouver Island. with:a budget:
requirement of. $245,000. His leg-
islature refused ‘to ‘pass such. an
excessive ‘sum and. the ‘resultant
row. led ‘to -thé union of the two
nearly. bankrupt Colonies of Van:
“couver Island and:British Colum-
‘bia. The budget : amount _ig:.simi-
«ar to’ the. sum :.we in. North
\ Saanich: pay. for. school ‘costs

oh aT ‘purchased | ‘from - -the
van South. Saanich: Indian

have created the groundwork for

aes
a

ride

In North. Saanich -
‘By. Reeve. Chiacing.
—Looks Into Future

well; We e labored < over our budget way... With its new Fire Chief and
[aa are: rather “amazed” to’ find! his enthusiastic: group of “volun:

7e'estimated well:—We' finished | teer ‘firemen, the department
the year with our’ own offices on! aims for a bigger and better org-
our own Jand (and all paid for),} anization for the future. The pro-
and-with a- competent: and hard vision, in. the past. year, of a new
working : staff.. We have engaged hall: as a‘meeting. place.and social
‘a legal‘ adviser: and engineering ‘centre’ should ‘assist in- this: dir-
assistant. In short, we are now} ection. Our thanks are due. to
organized. Council has establish-| this volunteer group “for their
ed committees to cover all the] efforts and ‘service to. the com-
| varied branches of our: responsi- munity, and are most -heartily
bilities and interests. Todo so, given. The-hard work and effort
they have processed 566 resolu-| over -the past year of ‘the Joint
tions, ..about 40 by-laws. and’ un- Committee should not pass with-
‘numbered committee reports. We} aut notice. When a’‘good work is
-accomplished, you ¢an::.be: sure

the various functions carried-out| someone’ has ‘worked: hard.:
“bya: municipal council,: and, dur-|-the.. Committeée®..and. ‘to: Chiet
ing. this: ‘creative..period; “have Loney and his: men.-+ our con-
still had to. “carry:.on- the: normal :

gratulations ‘and thanks:- i

Another, joint service With the
town of Sidney’ seems ‘to function
well since: I: have: heard: no ‘com-
plaints —-'a fair) method. of mea-
sure. I. refer’to the employment
of.a dog catcher. ra

Policing..is another joint. ser-
vice but,’ in: ‘this case, our ar-
rangements are ‘of necessity: with
the. R.C.M.P: and the: Attorney-
General: The town of ‘Sidney is
fortunate in. ‘that’ the “Attorney-
‘General. cares: for the policing: of
Sidney. We “have come :.to..an
agreement with. the: R.C.M.P:
"whereby they will: provide - a five-
man Police: Force’ : for’: North
Saanich. :

functions’ and services of a-muni-
| cipality. The burden-fell. of
course ‘on the ‘administrative
staff;:-Mr.-Allen isan exceptional }
administrator. He, and all’ the
‘other members of our staff have
given time and effort far beyond
anything we have a right to ex-
pect. We are indeed fortunate in
our ‘staff. ; :

On- our Financial condition, IT
am pleased to report we are in
excellent shape. We have met all

of” our obligations and even. the
extra-ones_of the Centennial ‘con:
tribution,-an increase in the Fire
“Department’assessment, and. pro-~
vided a few. ext rts such as

1

TH hy
i

AS: I. have. already. Te 4

: o : ic je i:

‘have. a

‘ing,:.

SAANICH PENINSULA AND GULF ISLANDS REVIEW

institution and a ‘matter of. pride
to the Community,, A. ‘surprising
‘change: ‘in .one: short year. We.

are also ‘ably _represented: on-‘the

Island: Regional Library Board |
by a member’ of :Council:: |

Recreation is becoming a: great-
er factor’in.the lives of all of: us|
as we. acquire more. leisure. We|
have... established a. Recreation|
Commission: who. will- advise|
Council of: the. needs in their var-
ious ° fields of interest. I“beélieve
they’ are currently: planning’ the
construction of washrooms and
a water supply at Wain Park. in
Deep Cove. There is. a ‘need. for
similar - parks: to. be. established
in’-other sectors of the munici-
pality. ‘The. Centennial. Commit-
tee, an outgrowth of .the Recrea-
tion -Commission, | has | done: a
magnificent, job in ‘the past year!
in the construction of the Centen-

nial ‘Library: Building---an. amaz-
int accomplishment:
deal of | credit. to’ these
hard-working. people. : ‘Weeho pel
their. successful ‘efforts will con}
tinue in the coming year, =

During. the past year, we were
fortunate | > having the » High-|'
Ways, Depatiient’ continue to “do|
our maintenanée work, on a‘ con-}
tract basis: Now. Weare on’ our
own. Our major etfort: this: new
year must’ be .in. this area.’ We
acquired :snowploughs and
contracted -with: Wes Jones «and
Son. to provide trucks and labor.
The ploughs have been -fitted to
the trucks and a.’sand-sprinklér
purchased: and’ installed...We: are
‘ready for snow but. we’ don’t
want it, If. the snowploughs get
rusty, “I. won’t “mind a- bit." We
will: coniract. our: -elearing, ‘grad-
gravelling © ‘and: -road™..con-
str uction, wile gradually acquir-

“A great
is. due

:

bern declared “That we. hold - ‘it

to its. lowest reasonable level’.
This ean only be done by care-
ful. study and planning. Each
must contribute: his.. fair share. |
The taxpayer: can have anything

he desires but it must be remem-
-bered.‘that ‘he, and he ‘only; ‘must
‘pay for it, be it, water mains,
sewers, black : ‘top. or’: ditches.
‘There.is no magic formula
whereby’. you ‘get it and. someone
else “pays ' for” it. That someone
else ‘is you—the other. fellow is
looking for the same deal at your
expense. It. is difficult to justify
several thousand ‘dollars .of black
top for a very few. -people, who
moved: well away from the main
road because the. land .was|
cheaper. ; ,
We. must . also’ consider. - the
authorization: of certain. types: of
business’ within our .boundaries,
with strict controls.on those _al-
ready here,-or which. we: cannot
keep. out. such as. marinas, race-
track and-the: fer riesy Taxes.’ on
hese -can “ease the burden * over
ithe: whoie area. Cottncil has” to
‘be: mindful. of the greater good
forthe. greater number. In “all

THE: FUTURE.

“What. of the: future? ‘We’ in

‘North Saanich are under. a great

deal of pressure for change, for
new . subdivisions and for’ new
privileges. Each‘ request must: be
studied closely: for “snags,--and,

‘We are human’ — mistakes are

easily made’ ‘and sometimes hard
to “repair. Ne SS
“We, oT: -am “sure, “are. ‘on. “th
verge ofa: “sharp. ‘population « ‘ex
pansion. in:.this«. area: which. will

} bring: great changes. Itlis a -plea- .ae
sant’: thing: to. dream _of’ preserv- |:

storal scene,. the. wood-

‘local . desire
‘people: :

quil roe “all services complete asin

; decisions, we. all gain or. Jose al: pletely

little.

and redouble, Tt 3 is ‘towards ‘this
future. we . must: ‘plan: now. We
must think of.and plan for sew-
ers, New ‘water’ mains: and. ser-
vices and amalgamation of exist-
ing..ones,. ‘of . traffic ‘routes .and
acquisition : ‘of ~land*. for- road
widening, and not wait until the
need is’ desperate, ‘and. the.’price
excessive. Planning, zoning, and
control. ‘of... ‘subdivisions: will °al-
ways pose: a’ problem to. wWhich-
ever: Council is: in authority, For
professional advice, we can turn
to the Capital..Region- Planning
Board,. but the final. decision
must “lie «with Council, who: are
‘familiar with: the local ‘scene, the
and needs. of ‘the

ALL SERVICES .

We have set.a good pattern in
requiring of ‘the larger Subdivi-
sions. that. they provide. all pos:
sible services’ before we approve
plans. Under. the: name of ‘Com:
prehensive . ‘Subdivisions, we re

acity suburban . area, I -believe;
however, -at! this’ time: we should
give some: thought regarding the
permissible size of Jots..In.a come
urbanized subdivision
22,500 ‘sq. ft. is. a: large: lot :for-a
busy“: householder™to: - maintain,
Important tothe: municipality is

the. fact’ that. excessive : distance
between homes creates an expen-|
sive maintenance’ area’ — more}.
‘road. per house; sidewalk; sewer,

watermain, ete. This: expense,

‘being -a.constant factor, has to be|
‘considered . and
‘councils. will. not thank ‘us for|:

now...

expensive: maintenance and: later

pality, the’: town. of. Sidney, we”:

Will. increase.: Sidney ‘and. North: :

‘must woes
-again as they were 50 years ago.
How ‘this’ could be’ accomplished | m5,
‘is-a problem, and so that we may...

‘Jater::

Future}

__PAGE SEVEN —

who: at: ‘present’ are. wrestling ely
with | the .problem ‘of financing.”
the. Metro- Health Board —- ‘and: = en
that growing... child : the. Regional. *
Board; -who' Jast: year’ acquired: \..0.:
Parks and Parkland,’ the Family»:
Court,:a large swimming pool ‘to:
finance and fireworks of. course.
In-. 1967- there. will. be: Metro. ~:
Health,. possibly © Hospital -con-
struction, Planning: ‘Board, _Sew- Da
ers, maybe Waterworks. — youn:
name it, we may have it. 0000

TOWN OF SIDNEY :
With our neighboring. munici-.

must work. closely. | Already. as.
noted .we -have many: joint’ser-
vices and, as time goes on, they. -":

Saanich. are’.complementary. to
each other, Sidney providing the
conmmercial :services: for. the /.-
‘whole area. It would seem. that...
the: two ‘areas’ so closely ‘related. wile
ultimately. “come * together ©

have..some data: available “ata.
‘date, -T.-am “setting . up. a:
committee: ‘to. collect’ such» inter
related: ‘information’ as: Would..be
of. benefit. Possibly. Sidney: Coun-:
cil would: see’ fit: to a Sp aise
similar. . ; ‘ a;

“Among the. many. ‘extra: activic:
‘ties of Councillors are. ‘investiga:
tions, reports® and: attendance. at
‘committea. meetings.. ‘Followin
are the ‘appointed Standing Com

Public. ‘Works:
ams, “Ayla

BERT. MORRE’