To the Editor,
Re: Stargazers push for dark skies, March 20.
Perhaps the Nanaimo Dark Sky Project should look a little deeper at what they are talking about.
Many streets in Nanaimo do not have sidewalks and those of us who don’t drive are forced to walk on the road allowance. Even in daylight we have to avoid cars, so with no streetlights it will be safer to stay home.
Many of our seniors are afraid to walk the streets at night even with lights due to the number of violent youths on the streets. This will certainly put a stop to a majority of our seniors not walking the streets to get home or to the store.
Speak to the school boards about the vandalism committed at night around our schools incurring a cost to us, the taxpayers.
Having been in a suburb of Detroit called Farmington Hills, a city the author likes to comment on, there are no streetlights at all as the citizens complain of the tax cost. In that city you don’t see anyone walking on the streets at night.
In a number of cities in the world, a one-night project of no lights was held and allegedly no or few crimes were committed. One night and 365 nights is a big difference and is comparing apples and oranges.
FBI statistics of 27.9 per cent of crimes happening at night is a terribly high percentage to even think about turning off the lights.
Perhaps Garland Coulson would consider turning off the lights on his car as he drives from home to Westwood Lake as a start to eliminating light pollution.
Having lights on at night is the price of doing business in this day and age, helping to stop accidents, vandalism, assaults, break and enters plus various other crimes too numerous to mention.
Coulson should speak to the local RCMP and see what the truth is about nighttime crime in Nanaimo, never mind about American cities.
If you wish to see the nightly constellation, drive out to the country and enjoy the view. This would have a double effect – lack of noise pollution as well.
C.J. Southgate
Nanaimo