Goldstream Gazette
Editorial
January 23, 2008

If there was any doubt on what riles people up in the Capital Region, just give a Langford politician editorial space.

Last week, Coun. Denise Blackwell penned her concerns about misinformation on the Spencer Road Interchange in the Gazette. Rarely has a single opinion piece generated so much feedback. Readers from across the CRD, railed against the $32-million project.

Regardless of the arguments for or against the interchange, Langford’s public relations has been terrible. Holding a poorly-advertised public meeting on borrowing $25 million during the holidays is bad optics, regardless of any compelling reason.

A symbolic petition against the interchange claims hundreds of signatures from local people. Langford says it has support from residents, but that silent majority has largely remained silent.

Bill Cleverley, Times Colonist
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Langford councillors were met by an overflow crowd last night as both interchange protesters and boosters crammed into council chambers to press their respective points. Detractors were there to show their distaste for council’s passage of borrowing bylaws to finance the proposed $32-million Bear Mountain interchange near Spencer Road and the Trans-Canada Highway without going to referendum.

More than 200 were in the room. But local developers, contractors and their employees outnumbered the protesters about five to one. They cheered on Mayor Stew Young when he challenged speakers critical of
council’s actions. Read the rest of this entry »

Goldstream Gazette, January 16, 2008
Letter to the editor Re: “Langford OKs $25M loan for interchange,” Jan. 4, 2007.

I am disappointed to see that Langford council has been less than transparent in their dealings with the public over the latest meeting regarding the Spencer Road Interchange. January’s news reported that Langford council called a special meeting on the evening of Dec. 27. with little public or press notice.

During the course of the meeting they passed two bylaws regarding the Spencer Road Interchange; first to create a local service area plan, thus circumventing any legal requirement for public input, and secondly a bylaw to borrow $25 million in order to pay for a major portion of the interchange, with the developers paying back this loan within 10 to 25 years. I was also informed that both of these by laws had been passed unanimously to third reading. Read the rest of this entry »

Letter to the editor. Re: “Langford OKs $25M loan for interchange,” Jan. 4, 2007.
Goldstream Gazette, January 16, 2008

The bylaw for Langford to borrow $25 million to build the Spencer Road Interchange, despite the fact that the agenda proposed that it only be given first reading, had been given first, second, and third reading
at the Dec. 27 council meeting.

At the same meeting Langford has passed a bylaw creating a local area service plan for the interchange, which they believe will let them circumvent the normal public approval process. Curiously, creating a local area service plan undermines many of Langford’s arguments in favour of the interchange. Read the rest of this entry »

Published Jan 12, 2008 by CFAX

A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS WILL BE KNOCKING ON DOORS IN LANGFORD TODAY LOOKING FOR PETITION SIGNATURES FOR COUNCIL TO RE-EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF FUNDING FOR THE BEAR MOUNTAIN INTERCHANGE.

STEVEN HURDLE IS THE LEAD ORGANIZER OF THE GROUP. HE SAYS Read the rest of this entry »

Who knows how long it’ll be up, so I thought I’d pass this on to people
immediately.

http://www.cfax1070.com/polls.php

January 12th marks to the start date for the Spencer Road Interchange (also known as the Bear Mountain Interchange) Loan Petition. Citizens will set out on foot to meet with residents and ask them to sign a petition calling for a referendum regarding Langford’s request from the province to borrow $25 million to build the Spencer Road Interchange. The 30 day window to gather over 2000 signatures is Jan. 12th – Feb. 10th. Read the rest of this entry »

An Inside Langford editorial

December 27th, 2007 Langford Council held an unusual Thursday night meeting where they acted to bring two bylaws to 3rd reading. These two bylaws serve the construction of the Spencer Road Interchange.

Bylaw # 1147 Local Area Service Establishment and
Bylaw# 1148 Loan Authorization Bylaw

Little notice of that meeting was given to the public. Less notice was given of these bylaws going to third reading; a notice at the entrance to City Hall seen on Monday Dec.31st stated the bylaws were to be given first reading but a call to the office inside found that third reading had already happened. Read the rest of this entry »

By Rick Stiebel -
Published in the Goldstream News Gazette – January 11, 2008

Symbolic counter-petition launched to rescind borrowing bylaws

A group of Langford residents are organizing a counter-petition they know won’t fly to show many residents don’t approve of the way the City passed borrowing bylaws for the Spencer Road Interchange. Read the rest of this entry »

“Langford council must still have been swimming in holiday spirits at the December 27 meeting, as of the three councillors to whom Monday spoke, none seemed to recall the bylaw actually passed third reading.”

Published Jan 11 2008 in Monday Magazine

Opponents of the proposed Spencer Road highway interchange in Langford are taking their case door-to-door in an attempt to block a $25 million loan from the municipality to Bear Mountain property developers. Read the rest of this entry »