North Saanich is fine just the way it is

Re: “North Saanich needs to be a complete community,” commentary, Oct. 13.

I’ve lived in North Saanich for 24 years and am puzzled that only now I’m learning that it’s somehow “incomplete.”

If Tom Gore is correct in this respect, surely I would have been so greatly inconvenienced by the lack of housing and amenities that I would have moved elsewhere long ago.

Instead, we found affordable housing, abundant recreational opportunities and plenty of stores and services just a 10-minute drive away in Sidney.

And no, we are not wealthy.

For most of these 24 years we’ve owned only one vehicle, but taking the bus to Sidney and Victoria is fast and convenient, with a bus stop just a seven minute walk from our house.

The reason we chose to live in North Saanich is because of its rural character, quiet neighbourhoods and uncongested roads. North Saanich is not “incomplete.”

In fact, it’s a gem, which has largely maintained its rural charm through careful planning and slow growth.

But doubling or tripling the number of housing units, as district politicians are suggesting, and adding commercial amenties, would mean it would no longer be recognizable or a place we would want to live.

Surely, in a region of 13 municipalities, everyone can find a community that meets their needs.

If you want the housing options and amenities of a town, then choose one.

If you want a quieter, more rural lifestyle, then come to North Saanich, where houses are regularly on the market and young families are moving all the time.

But don’t try and remake North Saanich into something it isn’t and doesn’t need to be.