A senior Victoria police sergeant who was suspended this month is accused of leaking…
In a tragic milestone event, three Canadian soldiers died yesterday morning while… The recent fire at Craigflower Farmhouse was a near tragedy, averted only by the great work of our local firefighters. We came far too close to losing an irreplaceable, invaluable and fundamental piece of the fabric of our community. Craigflower has survived for more than 150 years, enduring many threats to its existence. It embodies the stories of how our community was founded and how it is has grown. It connects us directly with our roots, and helps us understand who we are. It is unthinkable that it could have been lost because a fan malfunctioned in a modern heating system. Now that the smoke has cleared, so to speak, we are focusing on the task of cleaning and restoration, and on the even more challenging task of dealing with the financial issues. With the help of some very dedicated volunteers, and the guidance of some skilled professionals, we will be able to restore the site and its artifacts over the coming months. Dealing with the finances, however, will not be so straightforward, or so quick. The greatest threat to such special places as Craigflower is not fire or some other spectacular event, but the steady withering and degradation that comes from chronic and ongoing underfunding. Our historic properties, and many other sites, are dying. Slowly, but surely. Whether it’s the “death of a thousand cuts” or “death by neglect,” the end result is no different than destruction by fire. But it doesn’t have to be like this. The choice is ours.
Ian Fawcett is the deputy executive director of The Land Conservancy of B.C., a non-profit charity that protects special places. The Land Conservancy can be reached online at www.conservancy.bc.ca.