To the editor,
Re: How to go about getting a sidewalk, Opinion, Dec. 12.
I want to thank the Bulletin for zeroing in on the issue of providing sidewalks in Nanaimo.
It was my question e-mailed to the budget e-town hall meeting which sparked some of the discussion. An important part of my question, however, wasn’t asked and that is: when does the community get to make a choice between spending money either on ‘legacy’ projects like an elevated waterfront walkway along Departure Bay or on adding sidewalks to older neighbourhoods? I’m a big fan of possibly being able to walk from one end of Nanaimo to the other along the waterfront, but I’m not a big fan of the numerous ‘manufactured’ sidewalks along community streets which are just a line painted on the roadway. These ‘walking areas’ along the side of the road are not sidewalks. They provide no protection from traffic and are usually ignored by car parkers who probably don’t even know what they are there for.
We need to continue the dialogue about what is important to this community and perhaps make as one of our strategic priorities the concept of safe streets for all.
Nancy Mitchell, Nanaimo
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