About ME : NOEL CURRIE
I am an 'immigrant' to Canada, born in Durban, South Africa, to then 'immigrant' parents (Grandparents from Scotland and Ireland).
Denise, my long-suffering wife for the past 47 years, was born in (then) Rhodesia (now Zimbawe).
We have 3 children, the first 2 born in SA, the last born here in Richmond Hill, ON. All three are University graduates in Canada (M.Eng; B.Comm/CA; M. SocSci).
We have (so far) 6 grandchildren, ages now between 14 and 22.
Denise holds a B.Sc in Biology.
I have a B.Comm and Diploma in BusAdmin (an SA version of the MBA).
In my early years, I worked in a family run Auto Electrical business.
Later, from the early 70's thru 1983, I worked for the Anglo American Corporation (probably the largest mining corporation in the world at that time, with over 500,000 employees), in the Computer Systems field, starting as a computer programmer and ending as a senior Systems Development Director.
In 1983, we emigrated to CANADA, starting in Toronto, but fairly soon moving to Ottawa, where I worked for Canada Post for 10 years, starting as a Project Manager (Systems Development), and ending up as Corporate Manager - Computer Systems Development (4 years) and then Corporate Manager - Computer & Communications Operations (2 years), with a budget responsibility in excess of $120 Million per annum.
In 1993, we wised up, and moved to BC, where it is WARM!
I worked at BC Systems initially, then for 4 years as Director of Information Systems at BC Ferries. Then I 'retired' in 1998!
Denise worked most of that same period right here in Sidney, as 'front desk person' and financial consultant with Ron Gurney, then later for Wedman's.
Over the period 1994 thru 2006, while both working full time, we also owned, lived at, and operated DEEP COVE MARINA and Deep Cove Ocean Sports ( a 5-Star PADI dive shop) in North Saanich.
In 2012, we moved from North Saanich to Sidney and totally renovated our 1920's 'cottage' on Third St, which is where we still live today.
I have over 30 years of PROJECT MANAGEMENT, EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT and general BUSINESS EXPERIENCE!
I am accustomed to working with ALL kinds of specialists, as well as being VERY accustomed to negotiating the minefields of Management-Union relationships, having had workers from 6 different unions in my 'camp' at Canada Post, and survived for 10 years without a single 'grievance'!
In an era when 'computer projects' were KNOWN for failure and/or massive cost over-runs, I built a reputation for 'on time, on budget' delivery. I KNOW a badly managed project when I see one!
When I (WE) took over Deep Cove Marina in 1993, it was a 'disaster'. When it sold in 2006, it was probably the first time it sold for a profit in over 50 years, and it had changed hands quite a few times!
I am also a Vintage Car enthusiast (currently working on a '53 MG-TD. '65 Triumph Herald and '76 Spitfire; recently, due to some 'health issues', I reluctantly parted with my '68 Lotus-7, '80 TR8 and '75 Bricklin).
I'm an avid, amateur 'musician', collecting, repairing and playing Banjos, Guitars, Mandolins, Ukuleles and a host of other 'strange things that make strange sounds'.
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WHY AM I DOING THIS WEBSITE, THIS WAY?
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People ask me 'WHY ARE YOU NOT RUNNING FOR COUNCIL'?
The simple answer is, "At 71, I'm too old, and I don't want to be tied down to having to be at meetings every Monday".
The more complicated answer is that, after the last election, I WAS THINKING OF RUNNING, BUT, I had a serious accident in Dec 2016 which 'put me out of commission' for almost a year, and I 'just don't feel up to it' now.
That doesn't mean my brain has stopped working! I still follow what is happening in Sidney, and I am NOT AFRAID to speak my mind!
AND, regardless WHO gets voted into Council next month, I'll be 'waiting and watching'.
We 'lived near Sidney' in North Saanich for 23 years, and have now lived in Sidney for 7 years.
Maintaining 'the small town character' of Sidney IS important to us. Take a look at our house (9995 Third St)! We did NOT tear the old house down and put in an ugly, square box.
What we did do was renovate with modern materials (vinyl windows, fibreglass roof tiles and Hardiplank siding) which maintained the 'heritage look' on the outside. On the inside, 'Quaker' cabinetry, and new engineered wood was laid down to complement existing close-grained 3/4" fir floors and maintain the 'look and feel of the house. Original panel-doors were kept in place, although we did ditch the claw-foot tub!
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We are NOT 'anti-development'. Gord Martman is putting in a 4-story, 27 condo complex directly across the street from us. We did NOT campaign against it, although we ARE concerned as to the eventual impact on the availability of parking in the immediate vicinity when we expect that 'many more cars will arrive than there are parking spaces available'.
What we DO NOT support is the current Mayor and Council's consistent push for 'increased density' and the unprecedented granting of all types of variances which allow bigger, higher and uglier buildings without sufficient off-street parking to support their tenants, never mind customers.
Another 'issue' for us is that developers generally seem to 'get whatever they want' without Sidney INSISTING on some recognition of the 'housing affordability' problem. I do NOT know what the solution to this is, but it is evident that Sidney doesn't either!
I am VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED to both GATEWAY (Sidney Crossing) and 'THE CSB' developments. There are numerous people criticising them on the 'normal grounds'. My opposition stems from my view that BOTH DEVELOPMENTS IMPOSE AN UNREASONABLE, AND UNNECESSARY, RISK TO THE RESIDENTS OF SIDNEY, WORKERS, CUSTOMERS, HWY-17 TRAFFIC and AIRCRAFT and PASSENGERS.
My issue is that SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED SAFETY CONCERNS due to the nature and location of both the CSB and Gateway have been IGNORED by Sidney Council, Sidney Staff, and the VAA themselves!
In fact, all these parties have ACTIVELY TRIED TO DOWNPLAY THE RISKS OF POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY TO PEOPLE AS A RESULT OF AN 'AIRCRAFT INVOLVED INCIDENT' via 'mis-information', 'mis-interpretation' and 'denial'.
FOR EXAMPLE : at the now infamous Shoal Centre Council meeting, Mr. Bogusz, representing the VAA, pontificated that "there is no basis whatsoever to suggest that now, or at any time, that any of the developments at Victoria Airport have impinged on Safety, or will in the future"! This rebuttal was almost certainly trotted out to divert the attention of the crowd and Council from my earlier presentation which had questioned "WHY DOES VICTORIA AIRPORT ALREADY OPERATE AT THE ‘WORST PRACTICE’ LEVEL WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER MAJOR AIRPORTS?", and my conclusion that their GATEWAY development was ONLY GOING TO MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE.
The VAA stance appears to be that merely 'conforming' to the MINIMUM LEGAL REQUIREMENTS of TP312 and the VIA Zoning Regulations, which fall far short of current Canada Transportion Safety Board and International recommendations, represents a pro-active approach to MAXIMISE AIRPORT SAFETY AND MITIGATE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES in the event of a disaster! That's just 'wrong-headed'.
I think the VAA Executive haven't thought it through properly!
Maybe their Board of Directors SHOULD? Maybe OUR SIDNEY REPRESENTATIVES on the VAA Board should? If they are not there to represent our best interest, why are they there at all?
SIDNEY RESIDENTS (and anybody else potentially impacted) DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THE BENCHMARK IS 'BEST PRACTICES, NOT WORST PRACTICES' WHEN IT COMES TO ANYBODY (VAA or Council) MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SAFETY!
The examples of SIDNEY 'downplaying safety risks' are NUMEROUS, and have been dealt with extensively in the body of this website.
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UNFORTUNATELY, EVENTUALLY, SOME TIME DOWN THE ROAD, THE PROBABILITIES ARE THAT 'THE CHICKENS WILL COME HOME TO ROOST', and those in power will be saying 'How do we stop this from ever happening again?', and they will either forget or ignore that THEY COULD HAVE DONE THAT NOW!! We may not be able to 'un-build the CSB', but it is still possible to DUMP GATEWAY (Sidney Crossing).
And, that is NOT 'fear-mongering'; it is just an acceptance, based on statistical probabilities (which have no 'favourites'), of the 'realities of life' and the 'laws of nature'.
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