Dear Editor:
Is this a schizophrenic city? Does it make sense to have two brains controlling the same body? I know it may conjure some funny joke about the male persuasion, but it's a fact for North Vancouver.
We have two brains making decisions for the same body.
Not only is this a bureaucratic mess, it is an impossible situation to explain to newly arrived residents, as it is illogical, arbitrary and nonsensical.
The only reason I see a need to have two governing bodies over the exact same geographic area would be to preserve administrative jobs.
At a time when austerity measures should be investigated by local governments to help struggling homeowners by offering lower taxes, I can think of one easy solution: amalgamate.
Stop the schizophrenic civic identity and focus on combining the strengths of the district and the city to stop cannibalizing each others business and civic opportunities.
It's crazy.
In my life I have experienced two major amalgamations. One, when the government imposed amalgamation on my high school district with another. The other was when my university was amalgamated with the University of British Columbia.
In both situations, there was resistance and growing pains. But, the resistance and pains in both came from those with a vested interest in keeping separate administrations, not from the best interests of combining the strengths of both regions.
Yes, the identity crisis is ludicrous and the redundancies are crazy.
As far as I am concerned, I live in North Vancouver regardless of an arbitrary border.
The civic decisions should reflect the best interests of the electorate, not the interests of some supervisors and managers.
If those with vested interest in the status quo aren't willing to do a study, I will do one myself! This needs to be done.
Robyn Buyer
North Vancouver ...
I mean City of North Vancouver, no wait... I mean District...
