Kudos to the politicians and staff of Oak Bay, who worked with the Victoria Immigration and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS) to set up transitional housing for refugees in the unused houses on Monterey and Hampshire. Combined with the efforts of more than 100 volunteers and the generosity of many businesses, this is a progressive and forward thinking initiative.
At the same time, shame on several local businesses, including the Penny Farthing and Pharmasave for not only opposing these good efforts, but for advocating that the two homes be torn down in two years for parking. The irony of a pub arguing for more parking so that their drinkers can have easier access to their cars should not be lost on anyone.
I am not going to wait to years to register my opposition to this kind of last century thinking - I am going to vote with my feet. I have spent a great deal of money in the past at the both the pub and the pharmacy. In the future, I will take my trade elsewhere and urge my friends to do the same.
Marcus Handman
Oak Bay