The Written Word: Rafe Mair Sept. 25th

By Rafe Mair

Is there never any end? No limits?

While sitting on the throne this morning, where I do my major thinking, I read a real estate magazine, in beautiful colour, showing all the real estate developments under way or for sale in BC. I daresay there is a publication like this in most provinces. Taken individually I suppose they’re not too much of an environmental problem but looked at in the aggregate the impact is enormous.

I recognize that what I’m saying is sort of the argument of the last man on the life raft. The fact remains, however, that we have no plan whereby we can control growth and make proper overall assessments.

I have had the privilege of chairing a number of public meetings being held by the Greater Vancouver Regional District and as moderator I have injected into my words of introduction this question;- “are there no limits? Do we just keep building and building heedless of the consequences?” While the GVRD folks are concerned about this problem, not so the public or perhaps I’d be more accurate, those who thrive on endless growth.

The problem is that it’s all like a chain letter – sooner or later the chain breaks and we see that we have a hell of a mess on our hands.

What is the answer?

There is no one answer but it would help if zoning were changed so as to discourage small dwellings and use the air to go up rather than land to out. I realize that this would mean it would be harder and harder for young people to own their home with the yellow picket fence but that dream has largely already gone, or if not gone, moved further and further away from the city where people  work thus putting an even greater stress on transit.

I don’t know what the answer is but the question is clear – what the hell do we do about this rope of unrestrained growth which with every passing day moves urban sprawl into rural areas, thus, I would argue, reducing the liveabilty for all of us?

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