LETTER

I have also been stopped in a park

 

Late at night, instead of cycling down Deathtrap Hill, (known to non-cyclists as Rue Lattion), as I value my life, I tend to cycle along Grand Hunier and down through Park Lattion.  Parc Lattion is so tiny -- the crossing I have timed at 17 seconds to complete. Yet a few days ago, I was stopped by a committee of three park inspectors. Yes, three.

When I telephoned 311, the operator thought it was so ludicrous she initially refused to take my complaint as the idea that the city is wasting taxpayers’ money on triple rate overtime to have three city inspectors guarding a swing set and sand pit at midnight is ludicrous. I was let off with a warning, but it's a big fine coming if I don't cycle down Deathtrap Hill late at night instead.

Also, I discovered that the city has not only appointed an overnight park inspector to the park surrounding the Marina, but splashed out tens of thousands for his own little Noddy Car.

Letter writer Bob McDougall asks what we can do to stop this binge of money on overtime for inspectors in city parks at night and the tax increases that will be on the way to pay for it. The answer is: we start with a new mayor.

And to rid our city of this "Action Gatineau" -- rudderless, self-serving politicians pushing the special interests of local big businesses and the union honchos who run the city's administration.  

It's time the city was run for the benefit of the residents, not the city's overtime-thirsty staff.  We can start with the mayor, who isn’t up to the job.

Robert L Thompsett
Aylmer