Dear Editor,
Re: “Clear a path, we’re comin’ through,” News, Dec. 1
Perhaps the mayor and council are correct in taking back the city-owned lanes that the residents were granted access to about nine years ago.
However, to make the decision behind closed doors, without proper notification and public meetings, and to pave the lanes for no apparent reason, defies comprehension.
The fact that the director, corporate communications and marketing, appears to have not provided a reason when asked why the laneways were being paved — he stated “It’s a public space, meant for the betterment of the entire community, not exclusively for the residents here.”
As someone who lives in the Thompson area, I would like to know how paving these laneways with my tax dollars is for my benefit. There are older roads in the Thompson area that should be widened, and have curbs and sidewalks installed.
As a taxpayer, why are we really paving these laneways since the residents aren’t demanding it?
Why is public consultation limited in Richmond by using closed meetings?
Where is the accountability and transparency when simple questions go unanswered? After all, our taxpayer dollars are paving these public lanes.
D.Flintoff
Richmond
