Dear Editor
Re: Monk’s dream turns into court battle, Burnaby NOW, Dec. 9.
In the front page article in today’s Burnaby NOW, the article spells out how the City of Burnaby has taken the monk and his congregation to court for a “breach of bylaws.” Further in the article it also reveals that the city is “seeking a permanent injunction that the owner cease occupancy of the existing home and the unpermitted additions and the owner get a demolition permit to tear down the structures.”
How hypocritical can the city council be? For the past six months, 190 days, the city has failed to enforce its own bylaws regarding noise pollution and the allowing of a special interest group to build and occupy a two-room meeting and dining facility on city property, also contrary to their own bylaws. These actions have all taken place, and are continuing 24/7 on Goring Street in front of the BCAA Roadside Emergency Services facility where there is an employer/employee work dispute.
Dozens and dozens of letters, e-mails, telephone calls to city council and the RCMP by the residents of the 30-storey condo high-rise, housing 161 families, complaining about the six months of non-stop noise violations etc., have brought absolutely no response from council. In short, they have given away our rights to a peaceful and quiet community, as the bylaws outline, so as not to put either of the labour disputants in an inconvenient circumstance. They have allowed the breaking of the city bylaws for six months now at the expense of the taxpaying constituents who are bombarded 24/7 every day, week, month with no end in sight.
Surely one or more members of the council have enough moral conscience to say that this is wrong and we need to resolve the stated wrongs and treat all of our constituents in a fair and equal manner.
Dr. James Tindle, Burnaby
