Prices keep going up and up and up

Prices keep going up and up and up but we are not getting anything more for our money, in fact we are not able to keep pace with the rising costs of operating our Parkside Place home.
You know by now we have a shortfall from our last budget, one that will cost each of us an additional 400 and some-such dollars...we will get that bill soon. The new fees have been increased. Will there be another short-fall at the end of this budget? The accountant thinks there will be. So, what do we do?
We figure out how we can reduce our costs. With 45 percent of our fees going to heat and water thats a great place to start don't you think? Heat and water costs are going to continue to rise.

Here is a link for you to visit. We hope to be able to capture some of these grant monies described at that site.

http://www.gov.bc.ca/empr/popt/livesmart_bc.html

Have a look. Think about helping us! email parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

Hello

Visiting from the article in the Saanich News today? Thank you for coming. Have a read, make sure you check it all out, lots of information here. If you have an idea, a link, a suggestion please share!

On a Positive Note?

Informational, inspirational and hopeful, that is what the intent of this blog is.

Sometimes the news of the day will drag down the hopeful aspect.

Be sure, as a community, approximately 300 of us, we can make the changes we need in order to live at Parkside Place within our finiancial means.

So, while the following may be a drag...understand if you work with us we can overcome.

July 1, 2008, the province will begin phasing in the carbon tax, which will hit gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane, and home heating fuel. The starting rate will be based on $10 per tonne of carbon emissions, and rise $5 a year to $30 per tonne by 2012. (see the increase there?)

This increase has not been factored into our operational budget. Oh! you didn't think this applied to you? it does and will.

That means the money will have to come out of the existing condo budget, or, we will have to increase the condo fees....again. (that is a certainty..the increase I mean)

Also, as of today oil is $124 per barrel. The average increase of oil and gas over the years has been 15%. Assuming we stay with that 15%, add this new carbon tax into the mix and what will our condo fees look like 2, 4 or 5 years from now? Double? that is a certainty too.

Unless, we do something today about our aging infrastructure.

Right.

So, get off your butt, email me and ask what you can do!

(thats the inspirational part of this post)

Current condo fees are 230 per month. 460 per month is not appealing, certainly with over half of that going to heat and water. That means our common property, our roofs, everything remains as it is today...no change because we don't have the money to do the upkeep/maintenance. Change is needed, help make it happen.

parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

What if............

On Friday May 9 a company called SolarCrest
stopped in to see our Parkside Place. Solar Crest has a solution for our pool heating. Did you know our pool costs us 10,000 per year? With SolarCrest products we can see a return on our initial investment within two years, after those two years our heating costs are ZERO. From SolarCrests website:
"The monthly payment for the system will be equal to or less than the payment that was being made for the energy to heat the pool previously. This is a true investment that saves a substantial amount of money and energy from day one. The money saved could be directed toward other energy efficiencies or implementing other renewable energy systems that will create the same effect again."
Yup! They looked at our hot-water and domestic water (thats the washers/showers/sinks/dishwashers) system and we are a perfect fit for retrofitting our existing systems to use this type of solar engery. Can you image our heating costs dropping by 50%? Not going up? Wow! Now thats sustainable living!

(PS. our pool season would be able to be extended an additional 3 months! this means the payback would actually be approximately 18 months)

Interested in this project?
Join us! email parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

Five-Hundred-Thousand-Dollar.......

A number of residents of Parkside Place have been doing detective work these past few weeks.

They've been searching the Internet and reading fine print.

What they have been looking for is funding, any kind of funding - tax breaks, grants, dollar-for-dollar, anything that can help Parkside Place make the changes needed to become a sustainable community.
One potential opportunity is a $500,000 dollar one-time grant offered by the federal government to replace inefficient windows. We are figuring out if we are eligible and will keep you posted. Oh and please, why not do some snooping around the net for us? find anything interesting please email parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

PS. Tree-Planting Work-Bee Coordinator needed - We need some tree-seedlings too, 100 should do it. If you would like to organize a tree-planting work-bee and/or find those seedlings send us a email, we could use your help!

Can Parkside Place become a carbon offset project?

We are up to 6 members on the new Parkside Place E-Team! Join us! parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

We have 40-year-old buildings, pipes, heating systems, on and on.
Retro-fitting needs to happen to bring down the costs and reduce our footprint.
Can our community become a carbon offset project for a corporation?
I wonder if there is corporation out there that would consider it?
hmmmmmmmmm......................


And here is a potential way to fund a retro fit.

"Central Saanich councillor Zeb King shelled out nearly five grand for a solar water heating system on his home, knowing he'd eventually see a return on his money, and then some, thanks to lower electricity bills."

The initial cost of installation remains the greatest barrier to making this technology more widespread, says King. That's why he is pushing council to use local improvement charges (LIC), usually levied for infrastructure like sidewalks or sewers, to pay for solar systems on private residences.

Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute and Nitya Harris of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association presented the idea to Central Saanich council last year.

It would work something like this: Jane Homeowner wants to go solar. She chooses from a list of approved installers, gets a loan from the city to pay for the solar water heating system on her house, and pays back that loan through a surcharge in her property taxes over a number of years.

This system offers some unique advantages, explains Horne.

"Unlike a typical loan, which is attached to the person, an LIC is attached to the property," he says.

That means if the home changes hands before the system is paid off, the new owners pay the remaining surcharges. If it is paid for, the energy efficient home could fetch the sellers more money.

Also, lower electricity bills can almost entirely offset the tax surcharge, notes Horne."

From Monday Magazine

Mr. King can be reached at 250-652-4642, I'll be giving him a call and let you know how it goes.

Thank you for your emails!

You have my support for trying to reduce energy costs. There is no doubt in my mind that a lot of people are using more hot water and heat just because everyone shares in the billing.

..........What would happen if electricity bills were to be shared too? Lights would never go out, T.V.s would never shut off, etc. There's no motivation to conserve energy if "somebody else" will pay for it anyways.

The green parking lots look cool to. If they're cost effective and maintainable, I think it'll be a good idea. Pavement looks ugly and needs to be patched too often.

--From A Parkside Place Home Owner

Dear Parkside Place Home Owner - Did you know those homes that are furthest away from the hot water 'source' have to run their hot water taps for several minutes before they get hot water? I just found that out yesterday. Can you imagine how much water is being wasted? I can't even begin to calculate.
This issue can be fixed with a simple plumbing solution. A solution that will cost money, not allot mind you, and the return on that investment would be seen fairly quickly, not to mention increase the homeowners comfort 10 fold!

Who is paying...I've heard that people feel its 'free' because it is included in their fees. We need to stress to folks that they are paying, and will continue to pay more and more. It is coming out of their pocket, yours and mine, through our fees.
It is a education process to be sure, and it will take time and we will all have to be patient with each other. I'm certain we can get there!

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I received a notice in my mail that our parking lot that requires fixing due to the recent construction will be paved with the traditional topping, asphalt, next week.
It is very unfortunate that we cannot consider an alternate.
This is a question for the upcoming AGM.
(Monday May 12 6:30pm Ramada Inn Gorge Rd.)

Lets have a hard look at these alternatives, that is the path to sustainability.
(Received an answer, the lot had to be completed quickly. Chevron is doing the work and there wasn't enough time to consider an alternate.)

Non-Traditional

Traditional Asphalt