I am dismayed that four members of the new North Saanich council are jeopardizing the acquisition of Sandown race track by our municipality. At the Dec. 12 council meeting, Dunstan Browne, Ted Daly, Craig Mearns and Conny McBride voted against a motion that would move ahead the gift of 83 acres of agricultural land to the municipality in perpetuity.
Arguments given were that drainage costs may be astronomical, the perpetuity clause would restrict decisions of future councils, and we should go after more commercial land.
But water can be retained and used for agriculture, protecting the land for future generations is not a bad thing, and the Agricultural Land Commission has already been generous in the plan they negotiated with Mayor Alice Finall and the previous North Saanich council.
Browne, Daly, Mearns and McBride seem bent on denying the municipality this 83 acre donation of land.
I can only guess that they have an axe to grind with the previous council majority and intend to undo any of the good work it has done.
The four are playing a foolhardy game of politics with the well being of our municipality.
Janet Silman
North Saanich