Dear Editor,

[Re: 4 City-owned buildings slated for demolition, 91原创 Advance Times, Nov. 16]

Dan Ferguson鈥檚 article regarding the demolition of four City owned businesses, published in the Nov. 16 edition of the 91原创 Advance Times caused some comment and confusion in our house. An unsigned statement from the City of 91原创 is as nonsensical as Lewis Carroll鈥檚 Jabberwocky. The letter states that the sites will be used for 鈥渢actical urbanism elements which may include the creation of new active and passive recreational opportunities.鈥� The person from the City who wrote the statement does not want to be identified. What a coward.

One can only wonder what is meant by 鈥渢actical urban elements.鈥� An appropriate response is to mock the doublespeak. Will we see a training facility for riot police? The 鈥渢actical鈥� units, could provide disruptive 鈥渦rbanism elements鈥� an opportunity to make use of the active recreational opportunity afforded by running away from the police, while the passive among us read about the action in the 91原创 Advance Times. We will see an increase in crime, once SkyTrain is here.

Maybe the vacant lots will be used for a sanctioned homeless encampment, as the numbers of homeless continue to increase. It could be a tactic the City uses to house the 鈥渦rbanism elements.鈥� An open air market like East Hastings could be considered an active recreational opportunity, while a safe injection site could be a passive one.

Samantha Paulsen is the person responsible for City communications. I wish the unsigned letter was comprehensible. Why the need for secrecy? What is at risk? Information is being with held from the public. At least Mayor Pachal stuck his neck out to talk about some of the City鈥檚 long-term plans. He will have to face the electors.

Congratulations to your paper and Dan Ferguson for attempting to inform 91原创 residents about the Nexus of Community Visioning Plan and the Downtown Master Plan. The residents should know what the plans are. Afterall it is the taxpayers who will be repaying the loan on these properties for the next 20 years.

Here is what the unsigned letter does communicate, either : 鈥渨e don鈥檛 know,鈥� or 鈥渨e don鈥檛 want to tell you what the sites will be used for.鈥� I suppose we shouldn鈥檛 be surprised, considering how a vote on the loan was avoided by means of a sneaky bylaw. Unfortunately the City voters are unable to hold the bureaucrats accountable. They are unelected civic employees. They don鈥檛 have to answer our questions. They will keep their defined benefit pensions.

Alas, back to contemplating the jabberwocky. Beware the slithy toves.

Richard Penner, 91原创 City

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鈥� READ MORE: 91原创 City approves $15-million loan proposal for SkyTrain-related projects

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