Dear editor:
I concur with Councillor Amelia Boultbee motion, supported by wise and erudite Councillors Helena Konanz, James Miller and Ryan Graham to stop expansion and funding of any new bike lanes (design and construction) for the duration of the 2022-26 council term, plus remove funding for any such work for the proposed 2024 budget, culminating in a 4-3 vote in favor, much to the dismay of Mayor Julius Bloomfield, Councillors Isaac Gilbert and Campbell Watt who opposed on questionable and unrelated arguments and analogies.
I question city spokesman Shane Mills rationale that because the design of the lake-to-lake bike route down South Main Street has already been completed, with construction slated for 2024, it won’t be affected by the vote. Nonsense! You have failed to listen and take into account the 3,000 petition submitted by concerned citizens to council and opposed to any change to that section.
Your position is not understood and should be disregarded. Look at the Martin Street fiasco previously sponsored by staff and ignored by council when the concerned citizens views were ignored: said citizens do not wish to repeat a similar saga. Also opposed is the regular vested unnamed interest group.
Major Claude Filiatrault
Penticton
READ MORE: No more bike lanes in Penticton, at least for 3 years