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Speak Up

Re: York Street train station

Enlarge Photo

Summer has passed and nothing has been done to restore this heritage site. All the publicity and opinions from the last year have gone unheeded.

I understand the Irvings got this property for a token investment. This must have been based on an expectation that they, with a history of good project management and community relations, would restore and preserve it for future generations.

It's almost winter and another season for restoration work is gone. It appears they have decided to do nothing but wait for the citizens to get so frustrated that they will demand the structure be demolished to rid the city of an embarrassing eyesore.

This would give them a valuable piece of property in the centre of the city but would leave a terrible black mark on the reputation of the company entrusted with a heritage site.

This station was once a transportation hub and the older generation will remember it. With the growing concerns about energy conservation and air pollution, its function for travellers could be reinstated. It is a better location for a bus terminal than the current site and buses could provide a connection to airports and railway stations.

Buses could provide transportation from the city core to the Fredericton and Moncton airports to co-ordinate with departures and arrivals. This would eliminate the need for many individual private vehicle trips and cut back on energy consumption and air pollution too.

Likewise buses could provide transportation to Moncton, Rogersville and Miramichi for connection to trains.

Beyond transportation, it could accommodate other services to travellers such as tickets, food, souvenirs and so on.

There is probably even enough space at this facility to accommodate a new farmers market.

Will someone please light a spark that will result in this heritage site being restored?

Gerald E. Fraser

Fredericton

Let's not incite fear with uninformed comments

Re: Online comments

It has been a long few days for the young woman hurt in a recent accident on the Woodstock Road, and there are many long days to come.

I learned there were reader comments on the Canadaeast website inferring that diabetics on the road were a threat to others. I feel it is a narrow minded opinion to put all diabetics in one category.

What group of people is next? It is great to live in a society where you can give your opinion. However I feel opinions like these can incite fear.

We need to question the system, make sure that all precautions are taken so that people driving our roads are able. If there is reason to revoke someone's license, that has to be done, but we should not group people together out of fear.

Heather Long

Hanwell, N.B.

Thanks for the kind words and support

Re: Gingerbread Fest fundraiser

Another Christmas season approaches and what better way to begin than with a piece of fresh gingerbread with whipped cream and hot apple cider?

Once again, the people of Jobs Unlimited worked tirelessly to make cakes for us to enjoy.

A sincere thank you to the Green Village manager and staff for allowing us to hold our annual Gingerbread Fest during the weekend of Nov. 15-16.

Thank you so much to the volunteers who took time out of their weekend to help serve.

This event brings everyone together to share in the fun and meet new people.

Thank you to the many people who stopped to enjoy and compliment us on our delicious cake.

Jobs Unlimited have been privileged to be a part of this event for many years.

As a member agency, Jobs Unlimited is proud to contribute the proceeds of this sale to the United Way campaign.

On behalf of the board of directors of Jobs Unlimited, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Marie Hawkins

Board member

Jobs Unlimited

Raising assessments is not the way to fix the economic crisis

Re: Story published Nov. 29 called

Property tax bills to rise?

Mr. Graham, are the MLAs in New Brunswick clueless?

Have your people not read the news? The economic crisis we are all now faced with started because of the over inflated value of houses. This over inflating begins with the assessment value of our homes.

Over the last five years the assessed value of my Fredericton home has increased by more than 33 per cent, more than twice the rate of inflation each year.

When I re-mortgaged this year, the bank's assessment of my house came in at $10,000 below the provincial assessment. This was a total reverse from when I bought the house 15 years ago. The N.B. Energy Audit of my 35-year-old home revealed it to be a barn and a burden on the environment.

Property tax is most unfair to the poorest in our province, and if you can't afford to own, you rent.

When you own rental property, you don't get the Residential Tax Credit that cuts your taxes in half, which means the extra tax cost is passed on to the renter.

The Graham government wants to increase the HST by two per cent to 15 per cent, an increase five times the rate of inflation, and now assessment values are going up again.

Mr. Graham, how is this tax burden on the poor going to take us out of the hard times you speak of?

I encourage every New Brunswick homeowner to appeal their tax assessment in protest this year.

There is a problem at the assessment office and in how they do their jobs. We, the people, need to fix it if we are going to begin to fix this economic crisis.

John R. Staples

Fredericton

Dog owner is responsible

Re: Child in the dog park

In response to the writer's comments about the little boy and dog playing in the dog park, I know the owner of the dog.

She is a young professional who is very responsible. She would never endanger her nephew or allowed him in the park if other dogs had been present.

Maybe the reader was aghast when she saw a picture of a little boy obviously having fun tossing a ball for his dog, but the dog owner was shocked to find out that their family outing was being criticized in the local paper.

Annette Sercerchi

Fredericton