Province
The squeeze is being put on Coal Harbour floatplane operators due to pending development of the new waterfront convention centre in Vancouver.
As a result, a temporary solution is required to maintain their valuable and efficient service from the downtown business district.
Through no fault of their own, floatplane operators have been caught in a recent waterfront development controversy caused by our federal and provincial governments.
As a tax-paying Vancouverite, I whole-heartedly support their position for temporary quarters in the Westin Bayshore> Hotel area and strongly urge city officials to approve their pending proposal for these temporary quarters.
This industry is an asset to the city and requires our support. Harbour-to-harbour air service is essential, especially with our provincial political centre located in Victoria.
I view the noise from residents near the temporary site to be NIMBY-ism at best, which is far more aggravating than the ambient noise of the nearby vibrant working harbour.
GREG KENSICK, Vancouver
Flyovers too noisy
I have lived in the Kitsilano area for more than 30 years and have seen a marked increase in the number of floatplanes flying the north-south route from Coal Harbour to Vancouver International Airport.
In talking to hundreds of residents about this, one of the biggest complaints has been the amount of noise generated by these floatplanes and the unwillingness of Transport Canada to do anything.
Sixty flights a day over the same area, subjecting residents to an unwarranted amount of noise, is too much.
I agree that moving next to a freeway and then complaining about the traffic is ridiculous, but this is about sustained noise that long-term residents of certain Vancouver neighbourhoods have had to put up with for too long.
Should 18 hours of flights every day over the same area be considered an acceptable part of city living?
BRIAN J. PRICE,
Vancouver
I support temporary move
As a regular user of Harbour Air, travelling to both Nanaimo and Victoria, I wish to indicate my support for the temporary move of the existing floatplane base during construction of Vancouver’s convention centre.
For what seems to be a NIMBY reaction, it would not seem reasonable to further inconvenience the thousands of citizens a year who use these good services.
We all live in a great urban setting which comes with some inconveniences.
As far as I know, the floatplanes only fly during daylight hours. I can’t imagine the reaction if I, a resident of False Creek, were to complain about those helicopter flights that fly over my apartment on their way to Vancouver General Hospital at any time, night or day.
KENNETH STEWART,
Vancouver