I don’t live in downtown Vancouver, but I can understand the frustration the seniors are feeling after reading the June 7 story “Council OKs disabled parking limits downtown.” I have been following the stories about limiting the parking for disabled people who live at the Lewis and Clark Plaza, and it’s pretty clear that money talks.
Why does that building have no dedicated on-site parking for residents? How could the city council be so insensitive as to allow that? If your mother with a medical condition lived there, would you want her to park two blocks away and have to walk?
It’s all about the dollar. Seniors are on a fixed income, and maybe $34 (the price of the city’s senior monthly parking pass) is a small amount to some, but to others it can be a week’s worth of groceries. As far as the developer Elie Kassab’s comment that “There’s no free lunch in this world; we all have to pay our share,” mind your manners. Some seniors have worked their whole lives, are war vets, etc., and they have paid their share. We are always willing to help everyone else. What about our own senior citizens? Stop being so selfish.
Gynene Lane
Battle Ground
