Vernon city council has put the brakes, at least temporarily, on a proposed transit bus terminal on 31st Avenue, right beside Cenotaph Park. Staff have been told to return to council in two weeks with answers to a bunch of questions. Councillor Jack Gilroy was concerned with a decision to cut down two 70-year-old trees. ``I hate losing trees, I hate losing space in the park,'' says Gilroy. However he says staff have done the studies and he just wants the facts. During Monday's meeting, councillor Patrick Nicol pointed to the old medical building land across from the park that had been bought by the City and is destined to become more green space. He asked why a bunch of buses were being planted in the middle and suggested moving toward the Coldstream parking lot. ``The buses can obviously go a block east of that, in my view and in the view of others,'' stressed Nicol. ``We could also continue to have a nice green space from the Spirit Square (at city hall), right through the piece of property that we bought from the medical services.'' Councillor Mary-Jo O'Keefe said the plans don't look pedestrian-friendly. She asked staff if people would really use the park once the terminal went in. City staff have been in talks with BC Transit for months and the project was expected to go to tender next week. That has now been delayed.
3 comments:
What about the space at the back of the lot behind the old skating rink/arena?
Planners and politicians take note - this is potentially a real issue.
Everyone should remember that where ever the bus terminal finds a home - it will be within close proximity to the Greyhound Bus Depot.
If Lumby ends up being home to a provincial remand centre, BC Corrections staff have said that they will shuttle released inmates to the Greyhound Bus Depot in Vernon. Depending on the overall jail population at the time (360-720 inmates) there could be as many as 50 to 100 inmate releases per day depending on how many will have access to their own transportation. Very few prisoners will have driven themselves to the jail.
Stupid,stupid,stupid. How could it get this far. They let staff plan,when they are so impractical and careless when it comes to cost. Provision for 6 buses,no through traffic,reduction in the size of the park! Now they are going to look at the Coldstream Hotel site-another foolish exercise and poor planning. What is wrong with where they are presently.A one way street and near where most of the seniors live. The council when Harvey was mayor totally rejected 31ave for good reasons
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