Letters to the Editor: December 4, 2024

Article content

Defeat complete

Article content

Article content

King Street will be known as the final battle in our city council and administration’s war against the car.

In days gone by, it was a major west to east corridor from downtown to Western Fair, where one could park, hit the market, pop over to Jill’s Table or try out a new restaurant.

It is now a red, green, bus- and bike-loving, one-lane, two-lane, disappearing lane, no right turn, no left turn, schizophrenic slab of asphalt.

Article content

Who would want access to a major north-south corridor from a one-way street through downtown? No right turn on Wellington Street was the banner flag of victory.

Revel in your victory over the car and those pesky people in them who may spot a new business on the way through or park, shop and eat. “To the outskirts,” cry the defeated.

Scott McLean, London

Survey the others

Regarding the article LHSC supervisor looks to move beyond distractions (Nov. 21) about a survey of Londoners about their experiences at the hospital.

Most folks who “had an experience at the hospital” think they won the lottery against all odds: getting a test booking or a specialist appointment, having day surgery or cancer treatment, being seen in emergency, miraculously getting a bed.

Such a survey of the lucky few will be slanted toward wonderful.

They should be surveying those who: are on a months-long waiting list; cannot get a referral with no family doctor; paid at a private clinic; went to emergency and left after four hours without being seen; or died waiting.

But the survey crew does not know who these people are. That makes it harder.

Article content

Katharine Brandon, London

Action on plastic

Huge amounts of plastic waste are dumped in the environment and microplastics contaminate the entire planet, including human blood.

“If we took all of that mismanaged plastic waste and piled it on top of New York City, it would reach so high that it would disrupt general aviation,” said Sam Pottinger, senior data scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. His new research shows how the issue of plastic waste is set to grow by 2050, but a few key policies could make a serious dent if adopted at plastic pollution treaty talks currently happening in Busan, South Korea.

Meanwhile, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has framed ecological protection as an assault on freedom and prosperity. They have described efforts to reduce plastic pollution as “government controlling our lives.”

Michael Luce, London

Parking too pricey

As a London Knights season ticket holder for years, we have parked at the nearby Carling Street lot because it is less walking distance for seniors.

We were amazed after last Sunday’s afternoon game when the three-hour cost was $38.

Of course, the phone number posted for Precise Parklink (Urban Mobility) is never answered.

Uber from now on.

Mike Cortese, London

Article content