To: North Cowichan mayor and council:
The Crofton Seniors’ Society, its executive and its members wish to express our deep disappointment, sadness and concern over the decision made in October, by all but one NC council member, to take monies designated for improvements to Crofton and reassign them to beautify Willow Street in Chemainus. Crofton must now wait until sometime in 2016, if then, for infrastructure improvements. While this decision was legal, do council members really think it was ethical?
We wonder how many other Crofton citizens feel like our great little community has become a municipal orphan. The local government, whose salaries we help to pay, seems to have chewed us up and spat us out; cast us into a second class citizenship category. Should we now consider contacting the Union of BC Municipalities to see if some other local government would be happy to adopt us?
Last spring a presentation was made to this same NC council on behalf of our Seniors Society, pointing out that Crofton is not an age friendly community.
Crofton lacks essential sidewalks on Adelaide/Smith streets, an area much used by seniors in scooters or on foot, and by families walking with young children or pushing baby strollers. A potential accident waiting to happen? This was only one example presented of areas where Crofton needs improvements. Council listened. They even applauded. Then they did nothing. Could it be that even last spring Crofton was thought of as last on the municipality’s list? Would this be because Crofton has no resident representative on council?
Over a period of two years (2013-2015) a committee of local citizens worked closely with a NC planner and a consultant to come up with ideas, ways and means of improving and growing Crofton over the next 30 years. Open houses were held so that all Croftonites could contribute to a final local area plan. Councillors and NC staff attended these open houses. Will this plan ever come into reality or will it be postponed again and again because other areas of North Cowichan are deemed more worthy? Is council trying to give us an inferiority complex?
If so, it won’t work because we who live in Crofton, know that our community is a great place to live.
Should we put out feelers to Duncan or Ladysmith to see if either one would like to adopt a wonderful, small community that would be a great asset to them? Or will North Cowichan come to its senses and realize what a treasure they could lose if they continue to push Crofton aside?
The Executive of Crofton
Seniors Society,
Chris Hale, president,
Shirley Currie, vice president,
Carol Donnelly, secretary,
Oliver Jones, treasurer,
Jeanette Barnes,
director-at-large
on behalf of the members of the Crofton Seniors Society