Residents of Frost Avenue are on both sides of the road when it comes to the sidewalks destined for their street.
“The sidewalk I believe is unnecessary. It is not a high pedestrian area, it is not a safety area, there are no children in the area that I know of,” said Robert Hardy.
“There are those of us who will lose considerable frontage on our front yards because of this. Do you consider this a good use of taxpayers’ money … paving a sidewalk that nobody has asked for?”
Hardy and a handful of others addressed Sidney council last week after neighbours were polled on their opinions of the sidewalks.
Bonnie North said she is happy to lose a few feet of her yard for the sake of safety.
“People have sometimes driven way too fast around the corner … and it’s homeowners living on this corner [like us] who are well aware of the dangers.
“This is a very real safety concern. We are going to lose that extra square footage, but we have to be prepared to relinquish it and safety is a really valid reason to do that.”
Installing sidewalks on Frost is part of the town’s 20-year plan, said Sidney’s chief administrative officer Randy Humble.
“I think we could be criticized for the [little] time we gave to people before the work was going to happen,” Coun. Kenny Podmore said.
Humble agreed, adding crews are giving residents the opportunity to move landscaping before work commences.