The climate surrounding the news of the community seems to change right around the time of the fall equinox.
As the last days of summer dwindle and weather conditions give way to crisper autumn temperatures, the main season of festivals and community celebrations is behind us and our lives are getting “back to normal”, if you will, from vacations and with kids returning to school.
The focus has changed quickly to a couple of pressing issues that you’re going to be hearing about for some time.
The release of the McCuaig &Associates Engineering Report on the Saltair Community Centre cites the building is only in fair shape overall.
The Saltair News &Views group does not want to see any more money spent on patching up the centre until a referendum is held to determine what the majority of Saltair residents would like to see happen. At this stage, it’s just a Yes or No on the signing of a petition to go to a referendum.
In either case, it’s going to involve considerable money. Repairs are costly and life spans can only be extended so far and demolitions with the intent of a rebuild don’t come cheap, either.
The old Mount Brenton Elementary School may be still standing, but the former Chemainus Elementary School building isn’t and that’s also been the subject of considerable debate about the use of the property.
North Cowichan made a decision with a mix of single-family units and one multi-family with park space, but some people are still expressing concerns. It’s a big change to the community fabric and not everyone is on board with how it’s going to look.