An open letter to mayor and council:
Before we approve any more highrises we need to consider the consequences of earthquakes. The report by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (Vancouver Sun, Oct. 30, 2013) reviewed several recent studies of the Cascadia subduction zone off southwest B.C. and found that we are not prepared for 'the big one.'
The insurance bureau review estimated damage in B.C. from an earthquake and tsunami at $75 billion, not counting injury and loss of life. "There will be damages to buildings in Vancouver, Richmond and New Westminster ..." and "For the first time in Canada the effects of the tsunami, landslides, fires and liquefaction were also modelled. Liquefaction describes the effect of shaking that turns loose wet soil into quicksand."
Highrises and high-density development on the floodplain come to mind. We need to consult the scientists who did the studies to assess what we need to do. (These first studies in 20 years and the scientists who did them are detailed in the book Full Rip 9.1 by Sandi Doughton).
The more people and buildings, the more damage. How many people would all the proposed highrises add to our population? How many people on average are we adding to the city each year? (It's not only outside traffic; we're adding gridlock ourselves.)
How many people live in Queensborough today? How many do you expect when the new official community plan is built out? Do we have an emergency plan?
How many people live in the rest of the city now? How many do you expect when the official community plan is built out?
What total population do you have in mind for the city? Why this rate of growth?
I look forward to your answers.
Hildegard Bechler, Queensborough
