Letters to the Editor: October 26, 2024

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No satisfaction

On Oct. 7, my wife was southbound on Wellington Street downtown, when she hit a raised drain cover.

These raised drain covers are everywhere due to the construction, and are unavoidable with narrow, closed lanes, and cars beside, behind and in front.

After hitting the drain cover, my wife realized she had a flat tire. I was able to meet her and assist in getting the car towed and tire replaced. We have since been to a mechanic who identified the damage is far more significant, with the entire steering column needing replacement, which will cost $6,000 plus.

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We reached out to the city, which immediately denied all responsibility or liability, and directed us to the construction company (Bre-Ex). We have not heard back from the construction company.

I contacted the city again and was told I’d hear back from the construction company when they got around to it, and they would either deny my claim or give me “something,” seemingly to indicate that, either way, I would not be reimbursed for the damage.

I have since obtained measurements and photos of the offending drain covers throughout downtown, in particular between King and Horton streets, which are above the surface of the road by up to six to 7.5 centimetres.

Our mechanic indicated they have been seeing many clients with similar issues due to the construction.

This is the third tire I have had to replace in less than a year due to road conditions in the city, and I find the complete lack of accountability, dismissiveness, and liability appalling.

It is only a matter of time before this type of incident results in injury or worse, and I question whether anyone will then be accountable. I’m also disgusted that my tax money goes toward this work, but not restitution for the damage caused.

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Adam McSweeny, London

Cars essential

I disagree with the views expressed in the letters Londoners at fault (Oct. 23) from David Nielsen and Problem solved (Oct. 23) from Andrew McClenaghan.

I am a car owner and consider it a necessity, especially since we live in a northern climate.

Grocery shopping and other errands are difficult, if not impossible without a vehicle, even in good weather.

Getting on a crowded bus with bags, when there is a new virus every week, is questionable.

I do not like bike lanes, but I do not reject mass transit.

Our politicians are pandering to bike riders, as they keep building bike lanes that very few, if any, use.

Meanwhile, politicians refuse to widen streets in a city that is growing rapidly.

In the near future, the climate change argument will be irrelevant because everyone will be driving electric cars or hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.

Thank you to the province for the power over useless, unused bike lanes.

Harvey Sharpe, London

One job at a time

Who is approving all the construction in the city? I live in the south end and work in the core. I can’t take Wellington Road to work due to lane reductions and massive bottlenecks. I started taking Highbury Avenue, but that is now closed from Trafalgar to Dundas streets for, you guessed it, construction.

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Why is city hall and council not taking this more seriously? Get one or two projects going at a time until completion, then start on others. If companies are bidding for these projects, giving projected costs and completion dates, start enacting daily fines past the completion date. That will quickly fill up the city coffers and give the overburdened taxpayer some much needed relief.

When is our council going to start working for the taxpayer and not against us?

Kim Schmidt, London

Parking trauma

Our daughter was taken to Hamilton General Oct. 11 after a serious collision on Highway 403.

Rushing there from St. Thomas, we paid to park in the hospital garage on Saturday, and on the street directly in front of the hospital for free on Sunday and Monday. The hospital’s parking office was closed for the weekend and holiday Monday. We parked in the garage on Tuesday, went to the parking office, and bought a 14-day parking pass, from which the Saturday parking fee was deducted, and the Tuesday entry was included.

Lovely.

Contrast that with the opposite experience once our daughter was transferred to London’s Victoria Hospital Oct. 19.

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We had to wait until the hospital parking office was open on Monday, so we paid for parking in the hospital garage on Saturday and Sunday, parked in the garage on Monday, then went to the parking office to buy a multi-day pass for both my wife and I.

Even when buying two of the most expensive, 30-day passes, Precise ParkLink would not deduct the fees we’d paid on Saturday and Sunday, when we couldn’t buy the passes because their office wasn’t open. We also couldn’t get out of the lot on Monday without each of us paying full price again. Our passes would not take effect until Tuesday.

So, through no fault of ours — their office was closed — we had to pay the maximum cost for two weekend days and we both paid for another weekday because we had to park first before going to the parking office.

There was of four days of hospital parking for which we had to pay the maximum in London that we didn’t have to pay at all in Hamilton.

Kudos to Hamilton General for caring about people in their time of crisis.

We cannot say the same about London Health Sciences and Precise ParkLink. This was disgusting treatment.

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Jim Naphin, London

Inquests too slow

Regarding the article Coroner’s inquests called into London police custody deaths (Oct. 23)

These inquests, at a date and place still to be determined, are into deaths that happened in 2018 and 2019.

Why is an inquest called four or five years after the deaths? This should be unacceptable in examining any deaths, but especially when these deaths occurred in police custody.

Robert Webb, London

Failing grade

Regarding the article $38K in retreat money going to teach kids to swim (Oct. 22)

The Thames Valley District school board gets a failing grade again. The 18 senior executives should be paying back their individual costs out of their own pockets.

Paying the bill with taxpayers’ money from their individual taxpayer-funded expense accounts resolves absolutely nothing. This is another insult to every student.

Is this the best you could do to resolve the Fisher and friends financial fiasco? Not good enough.

Freddie Ashkanase, London

Prepare units

Regarding the article Committee backs study into pest control proposals for low-income rental units (Oct. 22).

The suggestion the city get into the pest control business is ludicrous. The city’s job is to make sure apartments are prepared properly for the professional pest control operator. So, city, do your job and stop blaming the pest control operator.

Walt Lonc, London

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