Editor:
I am Ward McAllister, president and CEO of Ledingham McAllister, writing to you with Marco Paolella, president of Marcon Construction.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences continue to be with the family, friends and schoolmates of a teenage girl who was killed by a dump truck near one of our construction sites. This is truly an unimaginable loss that cannot be adequately expressed in words.
We remain in touch with the RCMP and understand the tragedy may have involved a dog who ran out of a yard and startled the victim.
This information doesn’t in the least change our commitment to doing everything in our power to mitigate future risk, and we want the community to know that we will work with our team and stakeholders to address your concerns.
Our current traffic management plan was created under the direction of the City of Burnaby’s traffic department. We are now reviewing that plan with the city and will determine if there is another route construction trucks can use, per the community’s request to reroute traffic away from 11th Avenue.
While our current safety procedures meet and exceed the City of Burnaby and WorkSafe BC requirements, we are meeting with our contractors and city staff to review current practices.
While we cooperate with the RCMP’s investigation, we are also conducting our own thorough investigation and implementing any potential changes we identify.
There has been heavy industry in the neighbourhood for many decades, and it is prudent to mention there are entities unrelated to our work operating and/or building in the area who have their own heavy trucks over which we have no authority.
We acknowledge everyone who has been impacted by the devastating loss of a young member of the community, and we will halt all work involving heavy trucks related to our construction site for the next several days to give the community an opportunity to grieve without distraction.
While it is hard to know what to say in the face of such an enormous tragedy, I want you to know that we remain fully committed to your safety. Again, our deepest condolences to the family and everyone impacted.
Ward S. McAllister and Marco Paolella
