I read with interest Mr. Charleston’s recent letter to the editor (EVN, March 1, 2017).
His vision of Sicamous with a Main Street bridge is just short of utopia, an idyllic scene of happiness and gaiety. However, given the fact that he has a $2.8 million dollar tract of land for sale across the channel, Mr. Charleston’s view of what is best for Sicamous may differ from that of the residents of Sicamous.
Most interesting is Mr. Charleston’s idea of what constitutes leadership from Sicamous’ mayor. Charleston contends the mayor is taking an unpopular view (supporting Option 3 for the Bruhn Bridge replacement), and is laudable and exemplifies leadership. Why? Mr. Charleston states, it’s “for the betterment and future of the whole community.”
Is it leadership when a duly elected mayor refuses to accede to the wishes of the townspeople? In a MOTI (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) survey, of those with an opinion: 71.4 per cent were in favour of Option 2 (the five-lane bridge) and 81.7 per cent rejected Option 3 (the four-lane bridge plus a Main Street bridge). The community, through a democratic process, has spoken.
Mr. Charleston is spot on when he calls the mayor’s unrelenting support for a Main Street bridge “unpopular.”
How can a mayor who refuses to accept the community’s stand be seen as demonstrating the qualities of leadership?
The problem with a Main Street bridge is money and liveability. We have to carry the maintenance and replacement costs. As with the Sicamous-Solsqua bridge, that we recently learned will cost the taxpayers at least $4 million, a decision to build a bridge on Main Street binds us to its upkeep costs forever.
MOTI has a duty to be fiscally prudent in spending the province’s money. Options 1 and 2 will cost far more in public funds and will extend the construction time by at least one year. It makes sense for MOTI to support Option 3. It is cheaper for them and will provide some transportation relief while the major bridge is under construction.
It has been suggested that maybe MOTI, after building two bridges, will decide to pick up the maintenance and replacement costs of a Main Street bridge. Seriously? MOTI’s mandate includes reducing costs, not setting a precedent by deciding afterwards, with respect to a municipal bridge, that they will take on what historically has been the fiscal responsibility of the individual B.C. community.
As to the liveability factor, it is simple: do the residents want to turn Main Street and the public park and docks into a vehicle thoroughfare (MOTI predicts a time where 500 vehicles per hour will travel across this bridge), or leave it as a walkable gathering place?
We have six capable councillors on district council. The opportunity to show true leadership is now. Represent the people. Use your political influence to persuade MOTI to give us a wide pathway in the design of Options 1 and 2. We all want more connection in our community. Sicamous is in the enviable position of being able to better connect with the west side without having to pay for it.
Robert Batting