Letters, May 28

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This article was published 28/05/2022 (1336 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Assiniboine Park loses vision

Re: Look how her garden’s grown (May 25)

The fitting tribute to Assiniboine Park Conservancy CEO Margaret Redmond cites the creation of the conservancy in 2008 as arising out of the need to transform the city’s flagship park and make it financially viable. This is true, in part.

The other driving force was the 1997 decision to restructure the city’s former parks and recreation department by splitting it into two, with green maintenance functions going into the public works department and recreation functions into the community services department.

Winnipeg became the only large city in the country without a dedicated parks department and, 25 years later, we have the sad results to show for this horrendous decision. Our indoor arenas and swimming pools are in a failing state. We currently prune trees on city property once every 31 years, instead of the industry practice of once every seven to 12 years. Budget restraint sees us replacing only one-third of the trees removed due to disease.

Like most non-emergency departments, parks and recreation functions have suffered due to a decade of ill-advised property tax freezes and a near-constant practice of less than inflationary budget adjustments in the post-freeze era.

Under the leadership of Redmond, much has been accomplished at Assiniboine Park, but it has come at a price. Entrance fees for the zoo have risen. The new Leaf facility will open later this year, and for the first time in the park’s history, an entrance fee will be charged for this new conservatory. We don’t yet know the amount, but it is a certainty that the fee will be beyond the capacity of many citizens of fixed or modest incomes.

City council imposed upon the Assiniboine Park Conservancy financial targets that the non-profit group must meet. This is at odds with the original vision of the park, that of George Champion, superintendent of parks in the first three decades of the 20th century. His vision was for an integrated Winnipeg parks system, with regional parks in each quadrant of the city. He also insisted that commercial ventures be kept out of the parks and that they be accessible to all citizens.

That vision was shattered with the elimination of the former parks and recreation department in 1997, and the creation of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in 2008.

Paul Moist

Winnipeg

Opening liquor laws dangerous

Re: Proposed legislation opens hard-liquor sales to beer vendors, wine stores with licence (May 26)

The statement attributed to Scott Fielding, minister responsible for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation, that “the newly drafted legislation is a continuation of Tory efforts to modernize liquor laws” is disingenuous. The word “modernize” is cover-up code for “privatize.”

He is further quoted as saying “the status quo is not good enough and residents want more options.” No we don’t. The PCs want more options to replenish their government coffers after years of pretending that tax cuts are good for everyone instead of mainly their supporters.

There is justified concern that putting more liquor sales in the hands of private operators will make it easier for under-age people to obtain liquor. When profits are at stake, the age requirement may not be carefully scrutinized by private operators. It would also be easier for criminals to rob small stores that don’t have security in place as our liquor stores now have.

This government seems quite willing to take advantage of those with drinking problems and younger people who often don’t handle drinking responsibly by making liquor more accessible.

Gary McGimpsey

Winnipeg

RIP Cliff Derksen

Re: Advocate for families of crime victims dead (May 26)

I was saddened to read of the passing of Cliff Derksen, father of Candace, who was murdered many years ago.

Cliff and Wilma endured what no parent should have to: murder of a child. In spite of this, both parents were pillars of strength. They set up Candace House, which accommodates victims and their families during court trials.

It is truly admirable that people give back to the community in spite of their own grief. Condolences to the Derksen family.

Ken Campbell

Winnipeg

Protecting life before birth

Re: America’s carnage destined to continue (Editorial, May 25)

The Free Press editorial decries the hypocrisy of the U.S. Republicans who oppose abortion because of the sanctity of life and moral imperative to protect children, yet also oppose gun-law restrictions that could end mass murders like the school tragedy in Texas.

I get that. But I think the hypocrisy goes two ways. As the Free Press editors don’t point out, there is also the fact that (some) pro-choicers, while they cry about 19 children being murdered at a school, which is truly tragic, aren’t concerned about the fact that each year in the U.S. at least 600,000 children are killed via abortion. This is wrong, too.

Hendrik van der Breggen

Steinbach

Candidates must offer plan

Re: Motkaluk touts collaboration (May 26)

Jenny Motkaluk’s plan to “consult” with Winnipeggers before releasing her policy book after Labour Day sounds to me like having no idea what to do and getting the citizens to do her work for her, rather than having effective policy and using that to compare with what Winnipeggers think should be done and convincing voters she’s the right choice.

She’s not presenting a personality or policy set that will rise above all others. She wants to gauge what people want (regardless if it’s a good thing or not) and adjust herself accordingly. Would such fluidity in her policy direction continue if she was mayor and the big players come at her and demand she change her positions even if it means going against the interest of taxpayers?

Motkaluk is too big a risk to elect. I want someone with a plan already established.

Will Jones

Winnipeg

Male toilet conduct at issue

Re: Men bespatter all-gender toilets (Letters, May 27)

Letter writer Karen Zurba says women oppose all-gender washrooms because “most men leave uninviting evidence of their visit, either on the seat, the floor or on the rim of the toilet.” She, and many other people, need to learn the difference between inconvenience and rights.

I don’t debate the facts, but the things she describes are inconveniences, not rights violations. If they were rights violations, every campsite with an outhouse, every passenger aircraft, and many outdoor events with portable toilets would be hit with rights complaints.

Wipe the seat off with toilet paper, finish, and wash your hands. I’ve had to do that in many washrooms, and I’m still alive to tell the tale.

Ian Toal

Winnipeg

Thank you to Karen Zurba. Her letter brought to mind an incident earlier this week when I went into a new gender-neutral washroom at a Winnipeg gas station. Sure enough, the toilet seat was up and there was spatter evidence of several men having preceded me.

Going forward, not only will I have to figure out how to balance while squatting, I will have to do it with each hand holding up my pant legs. This prospect brings visions of pitching forward into the wall facing the toilet.

Will all the companies getting on board with gender-neutral toilets also up their cleaning protocols? I for one would rather share a women’s washroom with a transgendered woman or a non-binary person than cisgender males. Unless they improve their toilet habits.

Dawn Harris

Winnipeg