Westview Ratepayers Society is concerned about traffic control on Joyce Avenue.
At the June 23 meeting, society president Ron Woznow said he, ratepayers member Alda Bishop, Powell River RCMP constable Paula Perry and city manager of operations Rod Fraser went to Joyce Avenue to survey the situation.
Bishop said the meeting occurred in May and the idea behind the meeting was to see about slowing traffic along Joyce. Bishop said she lives across the street from Powell River Christian School, which is problematic, but there are other areas of Joyce that also present problems.
“In the meeting there were a number of things discussed, such as ways to slow traffic and ways to make people more aware of speeds,” said Bishop. “During the meeting there were points brought up that would possibly help.
“One was installing the speed flashing signs along Joyce Avenue to remind people it’s a 50 kilometres per hour zone and the driver’s speed will be flashed.”
Bishop said a flashing light has been used in one direction on Joyce, which is going south on the roadway.
The other item on the list was an increase of RCMP patrols to see if that would slow traffic, said Bishop.
She added that Perry, at the meeting held on Joyce Avenue, was in uniform and wearing a visi-vest. Bishop said Perry was “quite astonished” that people seemed to disregard her presence and went at whatever speed they wanted.
“They just proceeded along Joyce Avenue as if it was a free-for-all,” added Bishop.
She said she had a discussion with staff sergeant Rod Wiebe, who parked his police car just down from her house on Joyce to see if having the car there would make any difference.
“He said he was only there for an hour and he observed exactly the same thing I had observed, and people have no respect for the speed limit,” said Bishop.
Bishop said she had asked a question about an RCMP program called speed watch and that has been pushed to the wayside because of COVID-19. She said she did not know if it would come to fruition. The program, said Bishop, is run by volunteers with RCMP setting up and taking down equipment.
“That’s where you have a sign up and a radar gun and you can basically write down licence plates,” said Bishop. “The idea behind it is to calm traffic and get people to be more aware. For the last six months I have been trying to get some sort of action to see something change. You don’t need to go to Tim Hortons at 70 kilometres an hour.”
Bishop said a concern of hers is the number of pedestrians and children on the streets because of fine weather. She said all drivers on the road should be mindful. She said she lives in a school zone and the speed limit is disregarded all day long.
“To sum it all up, I’ve had a lot of communication with different people – the mayor, some city councillors, Rod Wiebe, Paula Perry and Rod Fraser, but there hasn’t been much happening,” said Bishop. “The RCMP tell me there’s no money and because of COVID-19 there is no enforcement from the traffic division that comes over from Vancouver Island that usually does the monitoring of speeds.
“Since I’ve been complaining they did one speed trap outside of the Christian school and they pulled over no less than 21 cars in 45 minutes.”
Woznow said the ratepayers would contact the RCMP and he would also talk with Wildwood and Townsite ratepayers.
“We’ll see if a collective request can have the RCMP allocate some money,” said Woznow. “We’ll report back as soon as we get confirmation about what can be done.”
