Roundabout plans fuel heated debate

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - July 04, 2008

A change in traditional East Hill traffic patterns has some property owners questioning the process. The City of Vernon is moving ahead with a roundabout at Pleasant Valley Road and 32nd Avenue, even after opposition at a recent public input session. “Everyone was against it but four councillors wanted it and it went through,” said Sheila Hatten, whose mother lives along the intersection. “The public voted these people in.” The primary concern is that the roundabout will come close to existing buildings, including possibly eight feet from the front door of Pleasant Valley Dental Clinic. “There will be drive-by flossing at the window. It’s scary,” said Carol Giesbrecht, office manager. Dr. Karl Denk, a partner in the clinic, believes having a road right next to his business will put patients at risk. “It’s going to be unsafe and unreasonable,” he said, adding that the clinic has upwards of 5,000 patients and the roundabout will eliminate necessary on-street parking. “This is not a little business. People come from all over to this practice.”

Hatten is also worried the roundabout will come extremely close to her mother’s front door and remove a number of mature trees. “They have never given us any plans,” she said of the city. “We want them to put in the stakes so we can see how much land they will take. They originally said they would take a large chunk.” City officials claim changes are needed at the intersection to improve traffic safety, but Giesbrecht questions that logic. “I’ve been here 10 years and I don’t see accidents to warrant the changes,” she said. Ed Stranks, a municipal development technician with the city, says the concerns of the property owners will be considered as the roundabout is developed. “We are trying to form it to the neighbourhood, save trees and reduce the proximity to buildings,” he said, adding that there is a balancing act when dealing with several properties. “No one wants a road right next to their door but we have to work with what’s fair for everyone.” Stranks believes the roundabout will improve vehicle and pedestrian safety at the intersection, which is currently a four-way stop. “There are a fair number of accidents at that location,” he said. “From the RCMP we get accident counts and that’s one of the primary reasons for that (roundabout). We are trying to improve safety. We aren’t doing it just because we like circles.”

Coun. Pat Cochrane defends voting for the roundabout, and says his decision was partly based on the public input session. “I got the impression that opinions on the roundabout were mixed. It was fairly evenly split,” he said. Besides Cochrane, the other council members that voted for the roundabout were Barry Beardsell, Buffy Baumbrough and Juliette Cunningham. Opposed were Patrick Nicol and Wayne Lippert, while Jack Gilroy was absent.