Editor:
In the late summer/early fall of 2012 the residents of Connors Road learned of a proposal to make a walkway/bike path on the west side of Connors Road. The route would ultimately turn in the 1900 Block of Connors Road and cross CPR property, joining up with the Trail loop of the Hwy #3 interchange and continuing along to the Chamber of Commerce. I wrote to the City of Castlegar with my concerns regarding the crossing on CPR property and proposed an alternate route. I also contacted CPR in Calgary. They stated at that time that they were unaware of this proposal.
We heard nothing further from the City of Castlegar. To my surprise a short while back I read in the Castlegar News an item which included the awarding of a grant to the City of Castlegar monies for the walkway bike path on Connors Road. Thereafter there were a couple of other articles including a small map and the fact that the City of Castlegar had been putting money aside for this project for a number of years. During this time there were numerous contractors working on bids to tender to the City. Chris Barlow of the City of Castlegar came to my residence and he and I looked at my concerns regarding the location of the pathway crossing of the CPR railway tracks. Although he listened to what I had to say it was obvious that this would be where the crossing was going. On Monday, August 11 a Connors Road resident asked city council to reconsider this project and meet with the neighbourhood. On Wednesday, August 13 an envelope from the City of Castlegar arrived in my mailbox. It was a map of the proposed pathway and a letter from Chris Barlow inviting us to walk the route of the proposed pathway with him, when he could “...hopefully address any questions or concerns that might arise from the construction.” The walk is set for this Friday at 3:00 p.m., only two days notice. This letter was only delivered to the homes fronting Connors Road and not to the residents of Riverside Crescent, who have to use Connors Road to access their homes. Is this really the type of response we should consider appropriate from our elected officials and the employees of the City of Castlegar? I do not believe so. I have no illusions that anything will come of this action.
The contract for this pathway was awarded Monday night after the prior presentation. But residents need to be aware of the way the City is conducting their business, in the best interest of the community as a whole.
John Shirley
1915 Connors Road
Castlegar