Commentaire 51 – commentaires et rétroaction

Arielle Kayabaga

Good day Electoral Boundaries Commission,

I write today to encourage you to give strong consideration to the proposal submitted by the London West Federal Liberal Association.

The current proposal set out by the Commission removes three distinct neighbourhoods from London West - Wortley Village, Manor Park/The Coves, and Berkshire Village. In the current proposal, these neighbourhoods would be absorbed by London Centre.

Wortley Village has a unique charm, giving the impression that London grew into a city around it. It's a very tight knit community, characterized by large gatherings and well-utilized small businesses.

Manor Park is an extension of Wortley, almost entirely made up of residential properties.

Berkshire, though it looks joined with Manor Park on a map, is a distinct neighbourhood that blends better with the other parts of London West than it does with Wortley or Manor Park. It is separated from Manor Park by a tributary of the Thames River, titled the Coves. Our proposal suggests that the best dividing line for this area is that section of the river.

In the Commission's proposal, Lambeth and other rural areas become a part of London West. I urge the Commission to reconsider this. This would not be fair to the citizens in this area, who deserve representation that can well and truly focus on their needs. The primary focus on London West is the urban population- including rural areas would jeopardize their representation by having their voice mixed in with a strong urban population.

We suggest that the Commission pull the southern boundary back up to Southdale, or to Pack Road, in order to give Lambeth and these other rural areas back to representation focused on rural issues- this would be London South-St. Thomas. This would allow Berkshire to be included back into London West, where it fits in terms of geography, heritage, and community services.

I also want to take a moment to refute the proposal put forth by the London Fanshawe NDP Association. Their proposal removes three key areas from London West- Hyde Park, Fox Hollow, and Riverbend. These are fast growing areas that do not align with the definition of rural communities. They deserve urban representation. This is the argument LFNDPA have put forth with their proposal, but it is not reflected in the changes they have suggested for London West.

I thank you for taking time to review the proposals put forth by all, and urge you to please reconsider the plans put forward for London West.

Thanks,

Arielle Kayabaga