City of Powell River Council received six pieces of correspondence requesting that the northbound bike lane in front of Mitchell Brothers store in Cranberry be maintained.
At the committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, May 14, council reviewed the correspondence that has been written in reaction to the city pledging to remove the northbound cycling lane across the road from Mitchell Brothers.
Councillor CaroleAnn Leishman said she has been inundated with people saying the city had made a mistake. She said the official community plan, the integrated community sustainability plan and the municipal cycling plan are all about improving cycling infrastructure.
“People are flabbergasted that due to a couple of complaints we would remove a bike lane,” said Leishman. “I think it was the wrong move.”
Councillor Rob Southcott said he supports bike lanes but he does not support this 25 metres. He said the reason is it is only a piece of what the cycling plan actually defines for the business part of Cranberry. Southcott would be happy with bike lanes in Cranberry if they included the whole of Cranberry.
City corporate officer Chris Jackson said staff will be bringing something back to the committee in terms of reducing speed limits in Cranberry, which was also part of council’s motion to remove the section of bike lane in front of Mitchell Brothers.
The committee voted to receive and file the letters.
