Editor:
There is a nice little park on the hillside in White Rock below the corner of Blackwood and Prospect.
It contains many lovely trees and plants and is adorned with benches from people who have lived in White Rock and have been donated by loved ones through the years.
One such bench at the very top of the park has a plaque dated 1908-1998 and which names an individual, his loved ones and reads: “He enjoyed this view for 23 tears.”
The “view” is all but hidden now. I am sure Mr. X enjoyed a spectacular view of the ocean, but now all one can see is overgrown trees and foliage.
So what, do you ask, is my point?
It is the cruel fact that this city continues to take away views at the expense of many of us, dead or alive. The loved ones of Mr. X, who enjoyed the view, paid for that bench and wanted to share with us what their dad had experienced. It was given to the city. Just like many of us who paid for a view when we bought our apartment and homes.
And the city continuous to reap large benefits from that by the numerous “free” benches that are in this park and the high property taxes we pay for having that view.
Yet when that view is gone from overgrown trees, does the city acknowledge it and cut the trees back to where they were?
Guess again! We have to go to the city, pay $150 for a permit and, if granted, that permit then allows us to at our own cost have those trees trimmed. And then only so much.
So not only are we paying extra for once having that view, but now we are penalized by having to pay even more to restore that view.
One questions both the legality but more so the morality of this parasitic policy.
Come on, council, do the right thing.
Simon Bergen-Henengouwen, White Rock