Media

Best Letter Ever

By Jason Leach
Published March 30, 2007

This week's Brabant papers contains one of the best letters to the editor I've ever seen.

In a short one minute read, it covers everything from the pathetic planning and service at the HSR, drinking and driving, closing neighbourhood schools so we can build more mega-schools on farmland outside of the city, and to finish off, the simple notion that trees do an adequate job of providing shade in local parks.

How many trees could we plant for $250,000?

Enjoy!

Jason Leach was born and raised in the Hammer and currently lives downtown with his wife and children. You can follow him on twitter.

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By Al Rathbone (anonymous) | Posted March 30, 2007 at 20:31:38

I like this letter, however his assertion about the Mohawk route is wrong. It is a very ignorant statement to say we should go to school in "our own neighbourhood". The people on that bus are students mainly at Westmount Secondary School, one of the few schools in Canada offering self pacing. People from all over the city come to this school. Most are paying customers although a few that are in the gifted program have passes paid for by the Board of Education.

At least someone else has decided to support more buses on this route. The HSR has horrible service on this route. The "School Extra" doesn't even come early when we get dismissed at half days. Several students have phoned to complain about the crappy service as it takes usually 3 buses before most people have got on crammed in like sardines.

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By jason (registered) | Posted March 30, 2007 at 23:10:27

I think the comment about 'schools in neighbourhood' was referring to the practice of demolishing neighbourhood schools and making kids have to bus all over the place.

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By appalbarry (registered) - website | Posted April 01, 2007 at 11:41:50

My only gripe with the letter was the assumption that reasonable HSR fares for the working poor would need to mean an increase in fares to senior citizens.

Instead of this either/or mentality, how about we fund transit so that EVERYONE pays a reasonable amount? I actually like the buck a bus system.

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By bob (registered) | Posted April 05, 2007 at 17:51:39

Let's continue on this theme. Full buses, limited service, inefficinnt collector routes..is it not time to rethink our city's approach to providing public transit? A bus ride to work would take me an hour...my car 17 - 20 minutes. Can the bus get me there in 40 minutes and would it provide me with a return for those 20 minutes extra I am spending? Think about it? It is our lives and our moments are precious. The reverse is are we paying for the true cost of driving? The isolation of solo driving is often replicated in our neighbourhoods. How often do we see people ignoring stop signs, speeding among the people they call neighbours? Sure the low incomes are effected more by rate increases but it is the impact on those who have a choice that will determine the success of public transit. It is no different than choosing to recycle or use the green box..people who have the option to choose see the choice as enhancing their life. The debate around public transit needs to strike this chord as well.

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