Re: If you build it they will come (News, April 3) and Map a cheaper option (Letters, April 10).
Coun. Michelle Kirby’s comments regarding cycling in Oak Bay and, in particular, Haultain Street and Foul Bay Road are worthy of comment.
It is interesting that the demographics of Oak Bay – more than 30 per cent of the population is older than 65 – that l would be surprised that Coun. Kirby will live long enough to see the day that “cyclists rival the number of cars on Oak Bay roads.” While l support the objectives of the Active Transportation Committee, l do have concerns about priorities.
Most days when l am on Oak Bay Avenue, the walkers and scooters outnumber the cyclists, perhaps with exception of weekends when the recreational cyclists are out in force, providing the weather is nice.
At a council meeting some months ago l was horrified to learn that the corner sidewalk cutouts for people with mobility problems will take 60 years to complete. Sidewalks in much of the community are in poor and dangerous condition and require people with walkers and scooters to travel on the roads, a great number of which are in desperate need of repair. The sidewalks on Musgrave Street are a fine example.
As for the remarks of Bruce Filan in his letter, l concur.
Cyclists travelling Haultain Street are required to stop at Foul Bay Road, so why not walk across the crosswalk, since they would be off their bikes anyway. I further agree that signs are not required particularly because we have enough sign pollution already and the costs of signs and intersection improvements could be assigned to sidewalks.
It is time the mayor and all council members examine the priorities for Oak Bay with some relevance to the demographics of the community and its failing infrastructure.
Claire Eraut
Oak Bay