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LETTERS: Waste struggle unites residents

Editor: When a government shirks its responsibility toward its citizens, the citizens accept that they cannot rely on that government.

Editor:

Historically, when a government shirks its responsibility toward its citizens, the citizens accept the fact that they cannot rely on that government.

When mayor and council shirked their civic responsibility and showed their fear of being involved in any form of waste management for multifamily buildings, it was pusillanimous.

The residents of multifamily buildings, on the other hand, accepted the challenge and embraced their responsibilities.

Being forced to search out and engage a waste-management company was, for some strata council members, daunting.

Some strata councils banded together to form support groups to help each other in this endeavour. Other strata councils sought assistance from people with contacts in the waste-management field.

Others took on the challenge, asked questions, researched each waste-management company and made their decision.

No matter the method used by each individual strata council, the eventual result was that contracts were signed and waste-management companies were engaged.

At a meeting held April 1 with mayor and council (City of White Rock gets earful on trash plans, April 2), the residents of White Rock predicted the impact of having many garbage trucks on the streets of the city and how this would influence the quality of life of its citizens.

These concerns fell on deaf ears, and today we can see clearly the results of mayor and council’s decision and avoidance of their responsibilities.

The streets and alleyways of our city are now disrupted by a fleet of trucks, six days a week. Smelly organic bins line the streets daily.

Today, there are major issues facing the people and mayor and council of White Rock.

Citizens are forming support groups to input into city council’s actions and decisions, to put forward ideas for the betterment of life in White Rock.

It is time for mayor and council to start listening and learning.

Ian Routledge, White Rock