Dear Editor:
Bravo, New Westminster city council. Considering we have pretty much the same council we have had for the last decade, this applies to you.
The streets, avenues and highways of New West are in the worst shape I can remember. I have lived here for more than 40 years, so that's saying something. I know many sections of pavement have not been touched in that time, and it shows. Some can be attributed to construction, but most is due to neglect. This city spends all its infrastructure resources on blocking and slowing traffic down. I think they leave the roads in the state they are in as a kind of natural speed bump?
We have sidewalks wide enough to use as runways and pretty new street signs, but heaven forbid we actually spend money on the actual street. The pavement along 12th Street between Fourth and Third avenues has been sinking for decades. It is essentially ignored. The block of Eighth Street between 10th and Eighth avenues is abysmal, but the city does nothing. As far as traffic calming measures are concerned, in the downtown, Columbia street has got to be the ugliest street in the province. It has been ruined by this councils idea's of traffic calming. These are just a couple of examples, but if you drive in the city you know they are but a fraction of what is our there.
The mayor, though, is spending $200, 000 on task forces. The taxes in out city are set to rise, and previous accomplishments have not quite worked out as planned. The Anvil Centre sits largely vacant after the city spent millions to buy and build. The park on the river on Front Street that the city spent multi millions to buy and build also is for the most part left unused. I see most people using the existing wharf that has been there for decades more than that park. Not to worry, city council to the rescue.
They are spending probably a least $1 million to build a pedestrian walkway overpass to give access, and to get some sort of return on investment of buying that park in the first place. Again, not to worry my fellow taxpayer, are taxes went up in the pass and continue to do so because of these ideas from council. The council that is in place is the same council responsible for these projects.
This council's idea and philosophy on the Pattullo Bridge takes the cake, though. Let's replace a four-lane bridge with another four-lane bridge! There is no need to worry that another one million or so people will be moving here in the next decade or two. I say to the pundits, as far as transit is concerned, people will always want personal transportation. It does not matter if it is a car, a Segway or we revert back to a horse and buggy. The infrastructure needs to be built, if you are going to invite the people to come here and live.
This is a free country for us to choose how we get around, not to be told how. This council, in my opinion, with the way they deal with the roads and traffic, clearly demonstrates that they will tell you how it will be done, not the other way around.
Devon Webb, New Westminster
