The Cariboo Regional District Director for Area A says they now will look at expanding the number of people who would pay for new lighting on Maple Drive.
Mary Sjostrom says that’s what they heard at a public meeting that was held on Tuesday night…
“The one concern that was raised, and it’s very legitimate, is the costing that we came to the meeting with was for those 125 residents that live along the corridor. What we heard quite loud and clear was they feel that we should fan out more to a larger catchment area, and of course that was all the way from the entire North Cariboo to the residents that are readily effected by the Maple Drive corridor.”
Sjostrom says they will come back to another meeting with some increased numbers…
“Particularly streets that feed onto Maple Drive, that is their only access to get out their subdivision, you know that is the only way they get to town is off of Maple Drive. I think possibly just a little bit more of a fanout, whether we go maybe one or, maybe two or three streets on either side between the schools, something like that.”
Sjostrom says they have to be realistic however, because ultimately they will need the support of all those people…
“How do they see us best going out to get consent from them. There are three options, a petition, an alternate approval process and a referendum. Of course with the referendum, the bigger the area the more money it costs, and that cost unfortunately comes back to the residents, as they have to cover that by taxation.”
The cost for the 125 residents directly along the Maple Drive corridor would have been about eight dollars a month, although that will now come down.
That money is just to maintain the lights as Sjostrom says ICBC has come forward with a grant to pay for the actual capital costs ($12,500) of getting the lighting in.
Around 75 people attended last night’s meeting.
Sjostrom says most were concerned about safety and were in favour of the lighting.
Maple Drive is now being used by logging trucks on their way to the Plywood Plant, because they are no longer permitted to use the Johnston Bridge in Quesnel.
Weight restrictions were placed on that bridge after corrosion was discovered on the beams during an inspection that done last year.