My walk through Beacon Hill Park the other day was so incredibly depressing. Before COVID, it was an oasis where I sought refuge. It was also one of my favourite go-to places for nature photography. I will never understand how or why our current city council ever thought it was the right place to accommodate the homeless 24/7.

Moving though this time of doom and gloom, the COVID-19 virus is affecting us all, catching it has made people fearful and weary. Stores are closing and folkB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s livelihoods and jobs are disappearing due to this invisible menace.

So two different opinions regarding last weekB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s letters on MLA pensions. ItB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s beyond me that a writer would label the Canadian Taxpayers Federation as a right wing think tank when their simple message is to reveal bad government spending habits, which is longer than the Trans Canada Highway. Money wasted can affect many peopleB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s lives in health care, mental well-being and a basic need to live accordingly.

Thank you to the Oak Bay Police for handing out fines to drivers failing to stop for the stop sign at Cadboro Bay Road and Beach Drive. Please keep up the good work and please do it more often at this dangerous intersection.

With reference to the article B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·˜Spike in mental health calls alarms frontlinersB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ in the Nov. 4 Goldstream Gazette, I submit the following.

We would like to thank Coun. Terri OB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™Keeffe for her public stance on retail cannabis business applications at Sidney council meetings. We agree with her position that these retail stores are different from any other retail business given the clear warnings from Island Health regarding location buffers and their broader points about the availability of cannabis.

I am writing in response to the Nov. 4 Saanich B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ· editorial concerning the Transport Canada regulation prohibiting passengers from remaining in vehicles accommodated on enclosed car decks.

The large Monterey cypress trees that grace some of the older streets in Sidney are very beautiful and provide an attractive and functional street canopy.

A proposal to extend the life of the Hartland landfill, which involves an expansion entailing the destruction of more than 70 trees is being contemplated by the CRD.

Re: Sidney considers third retail cannabis application. If the business of government should not be to enforce morality on the people, then the business of government and governing bodies should neither be to enforce immorality on the people.