Editor:
My wife and I moved to White Rock 12 years ago, and we just love our choice of a retirement site.
However, we have become more and more upset with the BNSF trains in the past couple of years.
When we moved here in 1999, I considered the trains to be unique and not a nuisance, as there were only, on average, six trains a day passing through. I have recently been informed by BNSF, however, that presently there are up to 16 trains that now pass through White Rock on a daily basis – a huge increase.
My wife and I generally walk the pier/promenade twice daily, and are finding it almost impossible to go for our nice ‘walk-by-the-sea’ without encountering a BNSF train spewing out exhaust – sometimes from four engines – blaring their whistles, which also awaken us at all hours of the night, and in general, spoiling our walks altogether.
The increased volume of train traffic, creates a much greater risk of a train derailment, with potential for an environmental disaster for the waters of Semiahmoo Bay.
I understand that BNSF, an American company, was awarded the contract to move coal from the interior of B.C., through Washington, along our coast, ending up in Delta Port.
Does this make any sense?
We are truly getting tired of the intrusive noise and air pollution from this foreign carrier, and I encourage all authorities – municipal, provincial and federal – to explore an alternative train route and give us back the peace and tranquility of living by the sea.
I have been lobbying these authorities, but one voice is relatively ineffective. So, if anyone shares my concerns, please make yourselves heard!
Floyd Stanley, White Rock
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A number of your readers live near blueberry fields where propane cannons fire all day long to ward off birds.
Sadly, the birds are less affected by the gunshot sounds than the people living near the farms.
In complaining to local politicians – who have done their math and figured that the farmers represent a larger voting block than aggrieved residents – I am told this is another issue that they are best to duck from.
My family was left with no alternative but to move or buy a summer place away from Cloverdale.
We bought in Point Roberts and stood on the hillside looking back into Delta and Surrey, and guess what we heard – gunshot sounds from cannons across the valley!
It almost made us feel at home.
Blueberry farmers are making a mockery of good-neighbour policy, and nobody seems to care that some residents are bombarded by loud gunshot sounds all day long.
Jim McMurtry, Surrey