Dear Editor,
Re: Changes to River Road.
I have been following with great interest the recent comments regarding the elimination/diversion of River Road.
I recall being a member of the Richmond Arenas Community Association and being an audience to a presentation of the construction of what is now the Richmond Olympic Oval.
I recall wondering, and then asking the presenter, what would happen to River Road.
The presenter nonchalantly replied that River Road was no more, and that existing traffic would be rerouted.
I remember proposing at the time that it would be in the interest of west Richmond residents to do a cut and cover tunnel to ensure the traffic flow that thousands of Richmondites have used every day since my family moved to Richmond in the early sixties was maintained.
Unfortunately, this proposal was met with scorn by the city representative at the time.
I, too, think it is time the city stepped up and presented a rationalization of why the city thought it was appropriate to inconvenience so many of its constituents.
Kelly Gilles
Richmond
Dear Editor,
I would like to add my voice to those who lament the ruin of River Road.
It used to be a quick practical route I would take to go westward to Terra Nova Mall on No.1 Road. Now, it’s chopped up to a ridiculous and awkward roundabout.
This was done for the Olympic facility which could have been better placed without breaking up River Road.
Now there is further development which will prevent it from ever being restored to its original course.
Every time I have to circumnavigate this road, I curse the fools at City Hall who probably don’t even know how dumb that decision was!
John Stone
Richmond
