Hiccups aside, it was a treat to see the Wallflowers at History Ottawa | Letters to the Editor

History Ottawa, a Live Nation music venue, opened to the public on Thursday, Aug. 20, with a performance by the Wallflowers. Photo by Andrea Cranfield /HANDOUT

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Hiccups aside, it was a treat to see the Wallflowers at History Ottawa

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Re: High hopes are riding on the new History Ottawa club. Here’s what the very first show was like

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A question for Lynn Saxberg: Did you honestly think that a crowd of 2,000 people would part just to let you get closer to the stage? This is a club, after all, where the norm is to stand. Where people line up hours in advance to get a spot closer to the stage. Where there are usually no seats, and the few seats that may be available are handicap accessible or for VIPs.

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Yes, there were hiccups on opening night. It happens. We live in Ottawa — just look at the LRT. Yes, people talk, but have you ever been to a live music event where they didn’t? And I always thought the tall people stood in front of me, so you are not alone there. The sound may not have been perfect (opening-night glitches), but the music was outstanding, and seeing the Wallflowers perform was a treat. Yes, the alcohol was expensive, but have you ever been to a club or arena where it wasn’t?

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You didn’t mention the outstanding staff who were friendly, attentive and extremely accommodating. The venue has so much potential, and I look forward to seeing many more concerts there.

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Welcome to Ottawa, History! I, for one, will have a lot more patience and look forward to a lot more music.

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Benita Baker, Ottawa

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‘Safety’ really isn’t safe in Ontario

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Doug Ford’s provincial government, in taxpayer-funded advertisements, crows about how safe his government has made the people of Ontario. No child abductors in parks, no overt regulated drug taking near school zones. These “safety” issues have been widely publicized.

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However, this same government gives approval of international companies to stock motorized scooter rentals on all the big-city streets. This has resulted in several deaths and many injuries to children and adults this summer, giving additional stress to our hospital emergency wards.

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The provincial government of Doug Ford has also given what seems to be blanket approval of internet gambling sites, ensuring that many young people will be in heavy debt to those running these sites for most of their adult lives.

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Speed cameras have been removed by Doug Ford in all school zones, resulting in cars travelling many kilometres an hour over posted speed limits in these zones.

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Where is the “safety” in any of these permissions? They pose a real and present danger to all people of Ontario, especially those who are too young to easily understand these dangers.

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I would request some explanation from the government on the rationale behind these approvals. Are the friends of Doug really making all that money at the expense of the citizens of Ontario?

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Stick to your development of the greenbelts, Mr. Ford. At least no one will die as a result.