Opinion | | —

When is a government of the
people (be it municipal, provincial
or federal) for the people?

_ And when is a government of
the people not for the people?

- by Marie Rosko
Sidney and North Saanich
Reunification Committee

Suan SAARI

Reflecting on the proposed
Peninsula freeway and loop-design
interchange at Beacon Avenue/Pat
Bay Highway causes one to won-
_der if any consideration at all was
given to the well-being and present
‘Fifestyle of either Sidney or North
Saanich residents.

Nothing will change the face of
the Saanich Peninsula more dra-
matically.and be such a distraction
from its natural beauty than build-
ing a four-to-six lane freeway right
through the middle of it

Where were the: planners?

to ebb slowly away on Vancouver
Island. and the fishing industry
battles its many ongoing obstacles,
the main source of future income
for the Capital Regional District is
going to-be tourism.
One does ‘not leave cities of
concrete and steel, pay a. fair
“amount of money to sail on our
exceptionally nice ferry system,

nic beauty enroute to be greeted by
blacktopped freeway.

ett, Wash... and several days .in
Vancouver, I personally have seen

i: interchanges to last mea lifetime.

~<-yes, in a safe and responsible
manner. There must: be many
_- speed. deterrents one could imple-

Why the Peninsula?

Bay” interchange plan is an engi-
>< neer’s: dream. There are lots of
roadways, interconnecting ramps
— a monument toa designer's

Angeles, Seattle, or cven expan-
sive Richmond, it would be a
welcome mode of transportation,
allowing for more traffic, acccler-
ated speeds and the power to shave
several minutes from one's arrival
time, : :
That's really what the new high-
way proposal is all about — cater-
ing to the ferry wavelers’ debatable
needs and overriding local resi-

= a
OF HEELS -
REG, PRICE

SECOND
_GAIR

FOR ONLY -

“SIDNEY CENTER |
- (BESIDE SAFEWAY) -
: Bfhe51 16...

[ it
ON hae st! ee

As the forest industry continues -

enjoy the absolutely gorgeous sce-
the ever-familiar four-to-six: lane

“Having just rettumed from Ever-
~ enough highway, freeways and .

“Develop the present highway —

“ment to let the traffic enjoy the.
‘relatively short scenic ip to. Vie:

The present Beacon Avenue/Pat

artistic abilities. Situated in Los |

ae oN, vege ; a

m Review

Governments and the Pat Bay Highway.

dents’ needs.

For those who do not travel the
Swartz Bay/Tsawwassen run, you
may be surprised: to learn that
upon arrival at the Vancouver
terminal, the two (only) traffic
lanes quickly merge into a one
(only) lane roadway for a consid-
erable distance en route to Van-
couver. There.is no four-to-six lane
on departure.

To build massive interchanges
and widen the present highway is
to destroy. the environmental
beauty that we seemingly. take for
granted — but the tourists flock to
see. Visitors do not want large

freeways on our island — the
_majority leave those at home. They

wish to enjoy our more simple way
of life and continue to recommend
our island as being “totally

- unspoiled”’ to others.

I certainly hope this very expen-

sive project is not being designed »

to accommodate the 1994, three-
week Commonwealth Games. I
would not like to think that any
government body would disrupt
forever our semi-rural Peninsula
lifestyle for such a brief and fleet-

“ing cause. My concern is to protect

the quality of life as we now enjoy

it

As the transportation representa-
tive to the local Chamber of Com-
merce, I was approached : by sev-

“eral very concerned citizens about’
the proposed highway project. One © |
‘in particular had a. very feasible -..

alternate proposal to offset: the

>. Shéavy: ferry: traffic’ flow. ‘And no, it

“would not have resulted in a four--

ane local highway...
“Since then, other options eve:
surfaced. Long before any COnuo-

versy had erupted, 1 wrote asking.
council-to meet with these citizens

reason for such a massive unde-
raking.
- One has only: to Have read‘ the

Aug. 23 Review to have witnessed.
council’s rather. uncourteous reply.”

. A government of the. peo-
ple... for the people?
_ The ‘proposed loop design will

cover about six or.seven acres of.

Jand and over. three acres of that
alone will be concrete and asphalt!
This is unreasonably large. ‘Try to

picture the width: of the present

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highway being a four-lane ramp
(with two sidewalk lanes) facing
directly into the business com-
munity of Sidney, branching off
into a two-lane entrance ramp and
a two-lane exit ramp.

The picturesque entrance to Sid-
ney will then be the Diary Queen
on the right and the rear service

- entrance of the Beacon/Safeway

Mall on the left. Not too inviting
— but that’s not unusual when
interchange predominates toual
interests.

No. more open spaces. Sust a
quick five-block run to the end of
town, make a left, go Gown one
block, and you’re on ail way Out
again. Need we say more?

Residents from the north side
will have to use the exit ramp to
leave Sidney. The downtown. traf-
fic scene will be chaotic. The end
of Beacon Avenue will be no more.
The small-town image of Sidney
will cease tO eXxiSt.. |

This. is totally unnecessary and

extremely costly for such an’

unwarranted: structure.

- Surprisingly, the cost. of one

alternate option was. bandied
around as S8 million plus of the
taxpayers’ dollars. Well, that

money is going to be spent regard-.

_less.. The total Vancouver Island
highway upgrade’s budget is S700

-million. There is also talk of et
foot-passenger-only. ferries that _

will cost:$125 million each.

“IL is imperative that the residents

of the Peninsula realize that the “|
‘proposed cloverleaf- interchange
has. been désigned-to handle: :
and myself to better explain the be ee

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So how come Peninsula resi-_~

“dents do not warrant-$8 million’.
“plus to-ensure our rather ordinary, |}
-.. simple way: of. life. that thousands}
- Of visitors: wish they could have?”

57,000 vehicles every 24 hours.
That will never happen. The
ferry system can nol safely handle
that volume of traffic. Before that
would ever happen, @ third cross-
ing would become a necessity.
Another arca that will need
assessment soon is the cver-
growing Victoria International
Airport. As the tourist industry

Rotary Student Exchange,

10344 Arbay ©

. Sidney, B.C. V8L 4S2
Phone 656-1841 _

Wednesday, September I 13, 1989

HIGH SCHOOL

Saanich Peninsula Rotary Clubs are now accepting applications for its
Student Exchange Program for 1990-91. If you are currently in grade §
41 or 12 and you are interested in travelling to a foreign country for.a :
year ¢ of study, fill in this form and mail to the address below: ,

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Alo

moves to the forefront, the access
to the airport will have to be
researched. It will not prove ade- &
quate aS itis,

It. seems quite sensible to have a
civic planner overview the whole
area and recommend necessary
changes so that progressive
changes can be implemented just
once instead of in piecemeal
stages.

Continued on Page Al6

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