Cars and bicycles have been using Ellis Street for almost 100 years in total harmony and, at least as far as I know, over the last 60 years in Penticton as that is how long I have lived in Penticton.
I have never seen or heard of any incidents involving a car and a bike.
So why are the experts in City Hall insisting on removing all the parking spaces from Ellis Street and replacing them with bike lanes while at the same time spending millions of dollars to revitalize the downtown area to benefit the downtown merchants.
These merchants depend on these parking spaces. Without them they might as well pack up and leave while a handfull of bikers use the lanes once or twice a week.
The majority of their customers have trouble walking from the nearest parking lot to the northern part of Ellis Street.
Who are these mental giants that come up with this nonsense?
Are these the same people that wanted to make Main Street a two-lane street? Are they the same people who wanted to make Lakeshore Drive a one-way street and remove angle parking thereby eliminating 50 per cent of the parking along Lakeshore?
Or are they the people who are responsible for the dorm fiasco on Eckhardt Avenue which is going to cost us millions when all is said and done? Are these people getting paid? Are they still employed while one of their best got fired?
I can’t believe that the mayor and council is even debating this. Instead they should have a hard look at the person that is responsible for all this nonsense and clean house. I hope all Penticton taxpayer remember all this come election time.
Bernie Strohmann
Penticton