A 500-metre stretch of gravel road near Powell River’s city limits has been problematic for people living in the area for years.
On a corner next to the intersection of Westview and Manson avenues, residents met with City of Powell River mayor Dave Formosa, Powell River Regional District Electoral Area B alternate director Alan Rebane and regional district chair Patrick Brabazon on Sunday, July 16.
They were there to discuss their concerns regarding a short, unpaved section of road at the city boundary that connects the top of Westview Avenue to the top of Nootka Street, part of Electoral Area B.
“Paving this road has come up over the years, over and over, as people become fed up with driving a dangerous, dusty, muddy, washboard, bumpy road,” said Owen Gaskell, who has lived in the regional district for 30 years.
Formosa explained to the approximately 50 people in attendance that the city has no money for paving and does not pave roads. He said the $600,000 in the city budget allocated for roads is mostly for maintenance and that subdivision developers are responsible for providing the roads.
After about 45 minutes of what was at times a contentious and confrontational meeting, Formosa left the group with a pledge.
“If your residents could come up with a third of the money on some kind of a bylaw that allows you to pay on your taxes yearly and the regional district would come up with one third of the money, I will try hard to convince the city to put up a third of the money,” said Formosa. “Between us all, we spray-cap it and see how we do.”
Spray capping is a pavement grading and surfacing treatment that repairs roads in poor condition due to potholes and washboard surfaces caused by construction vehicles and heavy traffic. The process smooths the surface at a considerably lower cost than applying asphalt.
Formosa said he has tried to convince city council to put up money for the road previously, but has been denied each time.
According to upper Nootka Street resident Igor Skobkarev, the gravel road is the only way in or out for about 70 households and a number of businesses in the area. He said he has received two quotes: $65,000 for spray capping and $135,000 for asphalt.
If each household affected came up with $500, spray capping could be done sooner than waiting for the city to find a solution, said Skobkarev.
“The city says it’s a city road serving the regional board and the regional board said it’s a city road,” said Skobkarev. “It’s an awkward situation because what can we do? We can keep petitioning but neither one wants to work together. That’s where we feel the most frustrated.”
Formosa said he would talk to the city’s engineering department about keeping a close eye on the potholes and dust in the area and that it might be possible for something to done through the regional district to contribute for maintenance of the road.
Rebane said it might be possible to use funds from Electoral District B’s grant-in-aid.
“If we can create some kind of a system that helps maintain the road faster and quicker, that might be the best solution on a short term,” said Rebane.
Brabazon said taxing everyone in Area B would require an explanation for all of its residents.
“If it were legal to tax anybody, it’s going to be Area B, and you’re going to have to explain to the folks down on Padgett Road why they should be paying for Nootka Street,” said Brabazon.
The regional district has nothing to do with the road, he added.
“They can argue until they’re blue in the face,” said Brabazon. “It’s a city street. From this point of the pavement to that other point of the pavement is city.”
Skobkarev said he was happy so many people decided to set aside an hour on Sunday night to attend the meeting and discuss the problem and that Formosa, Rebane and Brabazon attended.
“What I’m not happy about is that the message is fairly mixed between our two regional board representatives,” said Skobkarev. “One says yes and the other says no.”
