It’s been 125 years, give or take a few days, since North Shore residents had a local government they could vote for, pay taxes to, receive services from, and gripe about.
On Aug. 10, 1891, the District of North Vancouver was incorporated by the province, spanning the entire North Shore. We wish the district the happiest of birthdays.
Of course, the original party was cut relatively short in 1907 when a group of landowners persuaded the province to give them a city of their own centred along Lonsdale Avenue.
We live with the consequences of that baffling decision today.
When you drive from the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing bridgehead to Capilano Road, you travel between the District and City of North Vancouver five times. Roughly 45 per cent of the highway is in the city, but only district council is being asked to step up and fix the awful problems of congestion with expensive new interchanges and bridges.
Some naively argue that amalgamation would bring about fabulous cost reductions. It wouldn’t. If history serves as any indicator, costs for taxpayers will go up as a result.
But we aren’t just taxpayers. We’re citizens and citizens demand more than low tax bills. We demand good government. This bizarre, snaking border divides our common interests as much as it divides our community.
We’d argue the best birthday gift we could give ourselves is a sober, fresh look at amalgamation.
At the tender age of 125, it’s high time North Vancouver started taking better care of itself.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
