‘Inconsiderate’
Dear Editor:
I am a volunteer at Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care facility in Aboyne.
Every Tuesday morning, I take several residents out on one of the Terrace’s duet bikes for a short ride. The duet bike was designed in the Netherlands and features a seat in front for the passenger with the biker sitting in the rear doing the pedalling. I regularly receive positive comments from fellow trail users about the duet bike!
For the past three weeks I have repeatedly observed a man on an E-bike passing us on the Trestle Bridge trail at speeds in excess of 30km/h. The trail is used heavily by many people in the community, including mothers with babies in strollers, people walking their dogs as well as joggers and walkers.
I find this man’s E-bike etiquette inconsiderate at the very least, and potentially hazardous, at worst. As we crossed the road before heading back to the Terrace, we looked at the sign indicating appropriate usage of the trail. Motorized vehicles are not permitted by the GRCA.
It could be reasonably argued that a bike going more than 30km/h is indeed “motorized”, in this case, by a battery.
Behaviour such as this E-biker demonstrates needs to be curbed so that everyone using the trail can have a pleasant and safe experience.
Craig Cameron,
Elora
‘Second-class citizens’?
Dear Editor:
Why are the residents of St. Andrew Street East in Fergus being treated like second-class citizens?
In the ongoing traffic chaos that’s resulted from a portion of St. David Street being abruptly shut down for months, a few feeble attempts have been made to slow down the speeding motorists roaring in and out of our town.
Gowrie and Cameron now, belatedly, have speed limit signs posted in the middle of the road and Gowrie has (wonders never cease) recently acquired a pair of speed bumps.
But on the busiest street through Fergus – St. Andrew St. East – there is absolutely nothing, not even a sign pointing out that the speed limit is 50km/h.
I can only assume that the council staff responsible for organizing traffic do not live in Centre Wellington, conveniently leave town at the end of their working day and have no idea (or simply don’t want to know) what a dangerous nightmare our street has become this summer.
Last weekend, a speeding car almost hit me as I attempted to cross the road to walk my dog – and such near misses now happen almost every day. Angry drivers, frustrated to find that St. David Street is closed, are turning on to St. Andrew at high speed and venting their fury on the people who live here.
Why is nothing being done about this? Does a pedestrian have to get killed before the powers-that-be decide to act? Just asking.
Sonia Day,
Fergus
’A walk away’?
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Bloated bureaucracy,’ July 18.
Stephen Kitras’ letter to the editor was spot-on.
This year’s tax bill will look like a walk in the park compared to the 2025 tax bill you will receive by the time MPAC reassesses all the improvements you have done to your house and council gives themselves a raise, increases taxes to your home and grows the Sunshine List.
It might be a walk away from your home you won’t be able to afford – watch this one, people.
J. Alexander,
Fergus
‘Not the answer’
Dear Editor:
In this world there will always be ignorant people, however to completely change the representation of the Elora Mohawks name and logo is short sighted; especially given this is the Creator’s Game.
The Mohawk Nation once stretched far along the banks of the Grand River and to remind the community of this time in history the Mohawks name and logo should remain as a reference and homage to these people.
To change the name and logo is to erase the history of this land and community that has grown here; which is quite ironic when you seek to acknowledge the unfortunate history of the First Nations people.
Acknowledgement of the past is important, however this should not be used to shame those of the present day that were not involved in historical actions.
If individuals use racist or inappropriate terms/language those individuals should be held responsible, not the entirety of a community as this is a form of collective punishment.
Those claiming the name and logo should change in the name of progression should be reminded that this is one of the same reasons they used to place First Nations children into residential schools. Progression and oppression: often there’s a fine line that can quickly morph from one to the other.
For the Centre Wellington community, the Elora Mohawks represent not only the game that has made a small community proud for decades, but also reminds us all of the past that has been.
We are being divided in our community and nation through emotional tropes; we must get back to logic and common sense thinking if we are to truly progress.
I ask a simple question: can you explain why the Mohawk name and logo is problematic, without reducing your argument or opinion to just emotion or insult?
The Mohawks represent a proud history within the community that acknowledges the past, the present and will be a reminder of this for future generations to come.
Wiping their name from history is not the answer.
Dalton McDonald,
Fergus