I’ve written before about how many times during the past 30 years of journalism I’ve had readers write in complaining that their streets don’t have sidewalks.
They say the roads are dangerous, especially when walking children to school.
They are demanding action!
It’s with that background that I have when considering a group of Burnaby residents who are opposing the city building them some sidewalks.
Yes, you have that right – they don’t want the city to mess with their streets.
I, for one, am shocked because, as I said, it’s just a reaction I am not used to.
Neither is Chuck, who contacted me about his frustration that a one portion of a sidewalk plan for Yeovil Avenue and Yeovil Place in North Burnaby is on hold due to the opposition of some residents. This road is a major funnel for kids heading to a nearby elementary school.
Apparently a formal public consultation was never conducted and "enough (30% opposed) people made a stink about it to the city, including a covert petition that a subset of residents in the cul de sac solicited a target audience to meet the 30% minimum, so now engineering has put a pause on the cul de sac end of the project until they complete a public consultation of the entire area - majority of the streets in my area are still getting sidewalks done, but this small parcel is being put on hold,” Chuck said. “This is absurd for engineering to now stop a portion of the project for those voices; it's literally breaking the continuity of the sidewalks from one end of the street from the other side that is still moving forward. Now engineering will have to work backwards.”
Despite what Chuck says, I don’t blame the city. It has procedures in place and if it wasn’t followed and people are opposed, then they should listen.
Chuck doesn’t agree and is frustrated because the area is unsafe for pedestrians.
“Council needs to put their foot down and just move forward,” Chuck said. “This is a waste of time and taxpayers money. I guess at the end of the day I'm more concerned with how introducing this public consultation may steer more people to be opposed to it now since so much time has passed and more subjectivity has been plotted into residents' minds.”
It’s always a shame when something like this divides a neighbourhood.
The City of Burnaby has made a big push to add more sidewalks and better street lighting.
Council recently approved $5,558,910.53 for road rehabilitation, construction of concrete curbs and sidewalks, and street lighting improvements at the following locations:
- · 12th Avenue from 2nd Street to Newcombe Street;
- · Aubrey Street from Sperling Avenue to Cliff Avenue;
- · Berkley Street from Canada Way to 6th Street;
- · Curragh Avenue from Clinton Street to Neville Street;
- · Gilpin Street from Inman Avenue to Patterson Avenue;
- · Humphries Avenue from Edmonds Street to 16th Avenue;
- · MacDonald Avenue from William Street to Parker Street;
- · Stanley Street from Walker Avenue to Leibley Avenue; and,
- · Stanley Street from Lakeview Avenue to Sperling Avenue.
These neighbourhoods have been begging for sidewalks for years and are finally getting them. But others don’t always feel the same way. Some don’t want the fronts of their yards, especially their lawns, altered with the addition of sidewalks
As an apartment dweller, it’s something I haven’t had to face but call me shocked that some residents don’t want sidewalks.
I’m not judging because I’m not in their shoes, just really surprised.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
