Dear Editor:
In response to article: Parking Problems Plague Panorama, June 29.Thank you for reporting on an important issue facing residents who use Panorama Drive, (both physical homes and those who utilize the street to access their boat-access homes in Indian Arm). As a full-time resident of Indian Arm for the past 10 years, this issue is of major concern. If we are not granted access to the resident-only permits, it will cause significant hardship for our family (two adults and two children) to access the boat that takes us to our full-time home. Mr. Stevenson indicates that if he does not have visitors' parking he would be "isolated."
I ask, what about us? The nearest public access parking is over one kilometre away from our marina. Would we be expected to walk over one kilometre to be able to access the boat that takes us to our home? Would anyone else who lives in North Vancouver be expected to park their car that far away from their home on a day-to-day basis (with groceries and other items required for daily living)?
"Physical" homes on Panorama Drive have now been issued resident parking permits. As residents of the District of North Vancouver who are equally dependent on parking on Panorama Drive, I ask the district to stop this social injustice and allow for fair and equitable treatment to access the parking permits.
I agree with Coun. Muri that the Cove is never going to have sufficient parking. I also believe that resident parking permits may offer one of the solutions to the problem of parking in Deep Cove. What I am not in agreement with is that the "physical" homes on Panorama be the only ones who receive resident parking permits.
I urge the district to make decisions based on the need and importance of community access for all residents of the district who are dependent on Panorama Drive. In my opinion, limiting access to these permits based on the fact that a person may live in Indian Arm is discrimination and a violation of my human rights.
Giovanna Boniface
North Vancouver
