Frustrated with boat ramp status
Sir: Who do you go to for information on the completion of the Centennial Park project? No one seems to know anything and if they do, they say nothing.
I am sure the Blue Water Anglers lost a lot of money, plus some membership, due to the lack of a boat launch which was promised to the club president by city council last fall. How about the estimated 25 boats in July, who were stuck in the north slip trying to get out of the water during a strong thunderstorm? A very dangerous situation. The finals of a pro bass tournament were scheduled for last weekend. I saw some of the boats going out for practice; I believe this was a timed event and they had to be off the water at a certain time. How could this work with all the other boaters trying to use the one and only boat launch available?
I agree with Bruce Wallace that the city manager should be fired over this. But how do we as citizens of Sarnia get this accomplished? As for the fab five on city council, I trust they will get their dues come election time in October of next year.
Steve Anderson
Sarnia
‘Float Down’ participants should be ticketed
Sir: Here's a possible solution for our "worried" officials. With all the patrol boats available (OPP, Sarnia Police Services, Canadian Coast Guard, US Coast Guard, Port Huron Police, US Sheriff's Office), what is the problem? On the day of the mass float down, ticket all of them without life jackets ($200 per missing PFD) to start. Then, ticket the ones with booze ($200), followed by over-loaded vessels ($200), arrest "floaters" if the shipping lanes are compromised ($250 plus surcharges) and finally arrest anyone docking on foreign land without a passport.
Don Ballantyne
RCN (retired)
Sarnia
Supporting events financially helps build a strong community
Sir: It saddened me greatly to read the Aug. 3 letter from Mark Moran, “Surely $5 isn’t too much for a great evening of entertainment.”
He is absolutely correct in saying $5 is a trivial amount to pay to enjoy a summer evening under the Blue Water Bridge listening to great music while partaking in good food and drink. Especially when we know the profits from the Optimist Club’s Bridge Bash benefits the Point Edward community and, let’s be honest, Sarnia as well.
In this case, they are raising money to build a splash pad that will be available for the amusement of all citizens and visitors of both communities.
What is wrong with these people? How can they not grasp the fact that by sitting outside the gates of this wonderful, fundraising event, listening for “free,” it is in truth not really free because they are denying not only themselves, but also their fellow citizens, the payoff that comes from supporting a successful and profitable event?
Shame on them.
I again encourage people to become aware of what is going on in the community and to get out there and support us. When you do, we are all winners!
Claudette Gasbarini
Festival Coordinator,
Jazz and Blues in the Village
Proud of Sarnia’s beautiful gardens
Sir: I would like to write something very positive for the Journal. I am so lucky that I moved to the Waters’ Edge apartments on Front Street. Every morning, when I open up my blinds, I can’t believe to be so lucky with the wonderful view of the gardens in Centennial Park. I believe the person responsible for the flowers is Ms. Patti Ross. She sure knows how to hire the best people for the job. They work seven days a week, with so much pride and love for the flowers and bushes, and it shows! Recently, at the art show, many visitors took pictures with their families and had the best background one could ask for. I am sure that was one of the highlights for them and will be in their memories and albums for years to come. Great advertisement for our town of Sarnia.
If someone has not seen the pretty design for the Canada 150 dedication with the maple leaf, there is still time to bring your camera!
Thanks to Ms. Ross and all your devoted helpers for brightening up our life. It is no wonder that our mayor is so proud of the City of Sarnia, that he served for 28 years and will keep on doing in the future! Keep up the good work!
Gisela Malik
Sarnia
Renewed call for traffic lights at busy intersection
Sir: How many accidents, injuries, and deaths will it take for the City of Sarnia to place street lights at Cathcart and Murphy? My opinion: it shouldn’t even take one. Living by the intersection, I have witnessed these tragic happenings as well as poor pedestrians of young and old who wait up to ten minutes to try and cross these roads. Is the City of Sarnia not taking this matter seriously enough or is it money inhibiting them to act? Shouldn’t the life of one person be worth more than the cost of installing a traffic light? I would love to know this reason, because it appears to me that Sarnia has taken priority on some projects that appear to me as lower priority as compared to the need of traffic lights at Cathcart and Murphy. It would also seem a shame that after all these accidents, injuries and one death so far, that they cannot take this matter seriously. How serious does this situation have to be before implementing a change? As a young driver, I find this intersection very intimidating when crossing, and I avoid it as much as possible. A Facebook page with 376 followers and 398 likes in January 2013 titled ‘Traffic Lights for Murphy and Cathcart’ was an attempt to appeal to the city to build traffic lights for this intersection. Unfortunately, it appears this group has become inactive as discussions and posts have ceased since 2015. This issue has been going on for so long and yet all these requests for traffic lights seem to be dismissed. Through all this time, the City of Sarnia has only managed to place a crossing guard there during school hours. Just today (Aug. 24) I witnessed yet another car accident, involving children who had to sit on the curb waiting for EMT to arrive. This has urged me more than ever to raise awareness and concern again about this dangerous intersection, and hopefully get the message across that this very unfortunate, overdue, and fixable issue needs immediate attention for action.
Lorissa Paul,
Sarnia