As an asthma sufferer, I thought coming to live in Qui-Si-Sana would be beneficial. It has in fact worsened to such an extent that I have had to change to much stronger medication and steroids.
The Mepa board meeting on May 15 last had not been advertised in the media giving us residents the opportunity to attend and voice our opinions. In fact I was astonished when I heard a Mepa board member state that no residents had bothered to attend, only minutes after I had registered my name to the chairman to speak. Had I become invisible? I was representing a number of my neighbours. This same board member stated that a survey had been carried out about the Fort Cambridge and Town Square developments. Nobody came to my door or to any of my neighbours.
This same board member stated that the results of the air pollution and noise harassment were "acceptable" and "moderate". We have not seen concrete evidence of these studies. Are we imagining all those lorries laden with stones and earth? Can they deny that the roads are strewn with their debris and they actually send water bowsers to wash the roads in the evening?
They have not and cannot carry out a study on the effects of the wind velocity until the tower blocks are built by which time it will be too late for us! A tower will cause a vortex; the wind will increase considerably. We on the peninsula know only too well how the north easterly winds affect us. The increased wind velocity will make life more dangerous for me living on the 8th floor and for others with balconies in the vicinity of these towers. In high-rise buildings abroad they don't have balconies. I have lived in several cities abroad in high blocks. I have first-hand experience. I was almost blown off my balcony in one of many grigal storms here on the peninsula. Nothing survives the winter in the severe climate change we are experiencing. All my plants died and very heavy pots broken due to the storms. Not enough attention is being focused on this aspect. It appears that our safety is being compromised for the sake of these towers.
Has enough attention been given to the safety of the residents in such high rises? What will the consequences be in the case of a fire on the 9th, 12th, 16th floor? The Civil Protection ladders will only reach up to the 7th floors. How will the rescue services cope? Furthermore, what will the impact be on the infrastructure? Has that been taken into account?