After 62 years living in the Greater Toronto area, a move to Chemainus revealed what a great little town it is and how narrow the views are of many long time residents.
Now I am in Sidney and I find the debate over the Gateway project interesting in that context. There may be issues for folks on the west side with speeders.
Where is the RCMP?
Why after 42 years of living “across the highway,” are there no sidewalks? However, are these reasons to embrace a shopping center that will massively increase traffic volume?
A traffic circle at what is a multi lane high-speed interchange is a disaster waiting to happen. Many people in B.C. (and Ontario) don’t know how to drive single lane traffic circles. How will they navigate safely around one that is four lanes?
When the ferry dumps up to 370 vehicles off every hour a vision of backlogs of traffic reaching right to the terminal is not a far-fetched idea.
The question is, is a huge shopping center really needed? Yes, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to get to Uptown and less to get to Broadmead. If the Jesken Town Centre proceeds is the Gateway needed?
There is an unwritten rule that if you are not progressing you are probably going backwards.
Sidney is not much changed in any negative way since I first visited in 2001, suggesting perhaps it is the exception to that rule.
For folks who haven’t seen it, go take a look at what has happened in Tsawwassen Mills if you want to see the impact on a smaller community of a large urban shopping experience. True, the Gateway will not be the same monstrosity but you’ll get the idea.
Be careful what you ask for.
Alex Currie, North Saanich