No government has any right or business raising or fixing yearly property taxes to a level that is higher than inflation. It is immoral and unkind to do so.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Langley Development Timelapse
This shows the development of Willoughby, Willowbrook and east Cloverdale since 1984. Note the huge 'compressive housing' development serge that has been allowed to happen by both The City of Surrey and Langley Township over the last decade. Eye opening isn't it?
It looks like some sort of runaway spreading cancer that eats both land and trees...
Now take a look at Brookswood. Contrasting right?
One of the main reasons why we love Brookswood as our community is because of this slow pace - it's because this is the way things should be. It's reasonable, measured, non consuming, non choking, sustainable and traditionally Canadian. It's not all about desperate growth, nor about hordes of people, or about a greater tax base.
The land under Brookswoods is not meant to make money for salivating developers, or to provide extra government revenue or balance government budgets, it is a tranquil place for the present residents to live and rest without fear that the world is going to take it all from you or is going to compress and smother you.
Other countries have filled themselves up with humanity, countries like China, Malaysia and India and even large parts of Europe and South America. This to the tune of, a mind-boggling, 7 Billion people!!
Is this what we are becoming as Canadians? I know it wasn't that way when I was a kid. We didn't have rapid growth, and didn't think about filling our country up with people, and bulldozing it all down to do so.
It's like we have adopted a money-worship-sell-out-your-countrymen type attitude where growth is absolute, and are told that we have to make room for more people to accommodate this way of thinking!
It's like the Canadian way and culture has died and we have adopted the ways and cut-throat methods of some other country.
And for Canadians this is not very polite...
It looks like some sort of runaway spreading cancer that eats both land and trees...
Now take a look at Brookswood. Contrasting right?
One of the main reasons why we love Brookswood as our community is because of this slow pace - it's because this is the way things should be. It's reasonable, measured, non consuming, non choking, sustainable and traditionally Canadian. It's not all about desperate growth, nor about hordes of people, or about a greater tax base.
The land under Brookswoods is not meant to make money for salivating developers, or to provide extra government revenue or balance government budgets, it is a tranquil place for the present residents to live and rest without fear that the world is going to take it all from you or is going to compress and smother you.
Other countries have filled themselves up with humanity, countries like China, Malaysia and India and even large parts of Europe and South America. This to the tune of, a mind-boggling, 7 Billion people!!
Is this what we are becoming as Canadians? I know it wasn't that way when I was a kid. We didn't have rapid growth, and didn't think about filling our country up with people, and bulldozing it all down to do so.
It's like we have adopted a money-worship-sell-out-your-countrymen type attitude where growth is absolute, and are told that we have to make room for more people to accommodate this way of thinking!
It's like the Canadian way and culture has died and we have adopted the ways and cut-throat methods of some other country.
And for Canadians this is not very polite...
Monday, May 6, 2013
Brookswood Plan: No Council Envy. By Brad Richert.
http://www.langleytoday.ca/brookswood-plan-no-council-envy/
I disagree with some of what Mr. Richert has to say in the above article.
Much of the situation in Brookswood (and Langley in general) is caused by mass immigration with many people moving to the area from other countries and from migration from other livable parts of the country which are filling up. Many other areas are considered not as nice to live in due to climate or chocking levels of development, crime or because built-up areas tend to become unkind as they lose their sense of a country-like community - as well as other problems. Brookswood is a desirable area, mainly because of the large trees, the country like atmosphere and and the rural connectivity that the residents share. That will be destroyed as the area comes under pressure from development, as the trees are torn down and the roads widened.
Let's face it. It is all about money. This excellent community will be torn apart so others can make money. A community that has been wonderfully 'stagnating' for decades will be wiped-out to become like any other community. Brookswood is an island in a sea of sprawl, and when the waves of development crash over the spruces and the firs and the hemlocks that grace the area it will become like so much chopped up flotsam that is the rest of the lower mainland. I know, how poetic, but if you come here and look all around, you will feel the same way - this place, the way it is now = harmony. It needs protecting.
Am I a NIMBY as Mr. Richert has stated in his article? Maybe. I own a big house on a large parcel of land and I have worked extremely hard and have given-up much (you can see me driving around in my 94 Honda Civic) in order to buy it, keep it and maintain it so it looks nice just like all of my neighbours around me - there is much pride in our community. My son will probably inherit my house if he can afford it by that point (and the township can control their spending) and I sincerely wish to have the same low population, 'stagnant' and safe community around him by then. Like Mr. Richert I stand to benefit from densification for I will have one of the few houses in the lower-mainland with land if the rampant development is not kept at-bay - and that is becoming rare.
Even if I stand to benefit I still want to fight to keep Brookswood as-is...
Damn right Brookswood residents will lash-out!! And why shouldn't we?? People who do not live here want to destroy what we dearly love and they want to cut us in half with 4 lane commuter highways! They even thought about building a casino here! That is why so many people showed up for the open houses. And that is why we will all be angry if we are sold-out like we feel is happening to us.
Yes this is our back yard and we want to protect it. Wouldn't you do the same thing to protect something you love?
Comments:
I disagree with some of what Mr. Richert has to say in the above article.
Much of the situation in Brookswood (and Langley in general) is caused by mass immigration with many people moving to the area from other countries and from migration from other livable parts of the country which are filling up. Many other areas are considered not as nice to live in due to climate or chocking levels of development, crime or because built-up areas tend to become unkind as they lose their sense of a country-like community - as well as other problems. Brookswood is a desirable area, mainly because of the large trees, the country like atmosphere and and the rural connectivity that the residents share. That will be destroyed as the area comes under pressure from development, as the trees are torn down and the roads widened.
Let's face it. It is all about money. This excellent community will be torn apart so others can make money. A community that has been wonderfully 'stagnating' for decades will be wiped-out to become like any other community. Brookswood is an island in a sea of sprawl, and when the waves of development crash over the spruces and the firs and the hemlocks that grace the area it will become like so much chopped up flotsam that is the rest of the lower mainland. I know, how poetic, but if you come here and look all around, you will feel the same way - this place, the way it is now = harmony. It needs protecting.
Am I a NIMBY as Mr. Richert has stated in his article? Maybe. I own a big house on a large parcel of land and I have worked extremely hard and have given-up much (you can see me driving around in my 94 Honda Civic) in order to buy it, keep it and maintain it so it looks nice just like all of my neighbours around me - there is much pride in our community. My son will probably inherit my house if he can afford it by that point (and the township can control their spending) and I sincerely wish to have the same low population, 'stagnant' and safe community around him by then. Like Mr. Richert I stand to benefit from densification for I will have one of the few houses in the lower-mainland with land if the rampant development is not kept at-bay - and that is becoming rare.
Even if I stand to benefit I still want to fight to keep Brookswood as-is...
Damn right Brookswood residents will lash-out!! And why shouldn't we?? People who do not live here want to destroy what we dearly love and they want to cut us in half with 4 lane commuter highways! They even thought about building a casino here! That is why so many people showed up for the open houses. And that is why we will all be angry if we are sold-out like we feel is happening to us.
Yes this is our back yard and we want to protect it. Wouldn't you do the same thing to protect something you love?
Comments:
AnonymousJuly 11, 2013 at 8:16 PM
Has
there been a petition going around? I live in the brookswood area and
almost all of my neighbours werent even aware of any changes that will
be coming... If i had better resources i would defenitely start a
petition to stop the destruction of brookswood.
As
far as I know I'm the only one who is doing something like this. There
are many people against changing the Community plan (initiated by a
small group of owners in the 'Griffith' neighborhood) but most people
who I talk to have a downtrodden belief that nothing they do will
matter, or that what ever the Township does it will be written in stone
and can't be changed.
It is sad that not many people who we elect to govern us truly care about the people who put them in power, instead they are there for their own motives and agendas - and that mostly to make money for themselves or for their buddies. We seem to be adopting a third world political model I'm afraid.
I can only continue to promote this site, and I hope that people read it and it makes them think. And maybe some will go out and do something about it.
Beyond that we, the masters, are being steam rolled by our in our pay (ha! the employees of the Township who faithfully work for us...) -D
It is sad that not many people who we elect to govern us truly care about the people who put them in power, instead they are there for their own motives and agendas - and that mostly to make money for themselves or for their buddies. We seem to be adopting a third world political model I'm afraid.
I can only continue to promote this site, and I hope that people read it and it makes them think. And maybe some will go out and do something about it.
Beyond that we, the masters, are being steam rolled by our in our pay (ha! the employees of the Township who faithfully work for us...) -D
- AnonymousJuly 15, 2013 at 12:31 PMSo now what , i have quite a few neighbours now concerned with whats going on and i have their support , i have also spoken with numerous businesses along the 208 & 40 ave , and they have also shown support for a petition. Unfortunately im not sure where to begin...im very passionate about keeping this area the way it is. I was born and raised from richmond and now i dont even recognize my old neighbourhood or most of the city , i just hope brookswoods fate doesnt end up the same.
David M Chambers 23, 2013 at 5:36 PM
I would fully promote any petition on this site. Please let people know about it so they can read some of the objections I've written down here. Beyond that it's about what gets the most publicity: Door-to-door written petitions with signatures or on-line petition sites.The biggest thing is to let the township know that this is our community not theirs. They have had their way for most of this process and they have done things the way they see fit - that is they failed to properly and fully notify the residents (using only the minimum methods) and have bent the questions and agenda to what they want by leaving and filling gaps the way they see fit. The sad thing is that we are paying for it out of pocket and eventually through a decline in living conditions due to a large population increase (and attending problems) and the widening of our country streets and roads to 4 lane city standards. - And then there is Willoughby...
Word of mouth works well, so does paper and electronic postings wherever you can post. I was thinking about using my banner as a bumper sticker as well.
The unfortunate thing is that with the info age buzzing around everyone's heads not as many people look up from their iPhones and take notice. Governments (Townships) realize this and take advantage by pushing forward their own agendas without much public consultation or even in private sessions.
It is nice that the Townships has consulted with us this much, but I wonder about their process, their motivations, and their alliances. -D
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Say goodbye to Brookswood as we know it
http://www.langleytimes.com/opinion/letters/205405631.html
I, along with countless other Brookswood residents, share in the trepidation of the planned four-laning of 40 Avenue.
However, this is just one small component of the much larger and more sinister master plan to destroy Brookswood and Fernridge. The draft land use plan conveniently understates, or in some cases camouflages, the true development intent.
Due to the colour shadings used, at first glance it appears that there is provision for some new quarter-acre and larger lots.
As I recall, Goal 1 listed at the planning workshops was to “preserve existing character.” The reality is that the largest new lots included in this plan are 7,000 square feet. These will likely be few and far between.
So, say goodbye to Brookswood as we know and cherish it. Say goodbye to the large lots, and the large stands of trees.
There is an opportunity to develop something different and unique here, something apart from the same, old, tired densification. It could be different from the type of development that has wreaked havoc on other areas of Langley.
I suspect, however, we will see yet another “clear cut” disaster.
B. Cameron,
Langley
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