Dear Editor:
Look around your neighbourhood in the District of North Vancouver. Listen! Do you hear the all too familiar sound of the “wrecking ball” (claw-power shovel-bucket) tearing down yet another solid, graceful looking, modest house of the ’50s?
Old-growth timber, scalloped-edged cedar siding, bricks and stone work — all in a heap of rubble. Many of these homes have been well kept and renovated as the years went by.
The City of Vancouver has recently mandated that deconstruction take place rather than demolition. Seventy-five per cent of a house must be recycled. If the house was built before 1940, then 95 per cent must be reused.
While most onlookers would certainly rather see these well-kept period houses used as homes, I think we can all agree that the materials should be reused.
When questioned about this matter, the powers that be at district hall have so far answered simply: “We aren’t there yet.”
Well, let’s get there.
And while we’re at it, let’s see a hefty increase in deconstruction permit fees, and building permit fees.
This alone would do a lot to help silence the wrecking ball.
Tina Childs
North Vancouver
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