Residents of Mulberry place in North Saanich have got the right idea — become an ever-present force to ensure they have a say in an issue that affects them directly.
They live next to a neat place called Gardner’s Pond, a small body of water that’s home to bulrushes, frogs, herons and many other types of plant and wild life. The pond has a short trail around it, a sign and a small bench to allow local use of the area. The pond certainly seems healthy at first glance but the neighbours want to know for sure — and how plans to build a berm at one end of it could impact the pond and their property.
The residents want more information about the project —proposed by the Peninsula Streams Society — so they know exactly what’s going on. They have also indicated they want those plans stopped and have vowed to harangue North Saanich district council over the matter.
At this point, however, district council is not the place they need to be and, through some of their inflammatory remarks and reactions, they are running the risk of harming any relationship they might have had with representatives of Peninsula Streams. That is the organization the residents need to work with to learn more.
Peninsula Streams volunteers and employees have been working to restore Chalet Creek to its once fish-bearing capacity. And since the creek flows out of the pond, it seems natural they would want to work with landowners in the area to ensure the pond contributes to their goal.
It would make sense, then, for residents to learn more from the society directly and not shut them out or use the municipal council to exert undue pressure on them due to their contribution of grant money to the society.
As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.