A better use of our tax dollars
Editor, The News:
Re: Missing link filled in cycling network (The News, Feb. 1).
Where does the stupidity end?
We have a district that can hardly afford to keep school crossings safe (I refer to the Webster’s Corners elementary School and the 256th Street and Dewdney Trunk Road intersection as an example) from fully loaded gravel trucks – wanting to spend $489,000 of our tax dollars on 655 metres of bike lane.
And where does a cash-strapped TransLink find an extra $270,000 to add to the project and the province kicking in a matching $489,000?
Give us a break – add it up: $1.248 million for 655 metres of bike path.
Someone has to be nuts to think this is a good use of public funds.
I took the time to walk the stretch of road and find it no better or no worse than any other section of the Lougheed Highway between downtown and the west side.
I also note that there is an existing bike path on 121 Street going in the same direction.
I did notice that someone is preparing to develop three or four properties along the stretch of roadway in question. How much is the developer kicking in? Or will it just benefit from the improvements being paid for by the taxpayers?
I really encourage the taxpayers of Maple Ridge to start asking for really strong financial plans for this district.
Where is the cost-benefit study for the project?
Whenever this type of ‘touchy-feely’ spending is considered, the district should be required to publish the cost-benefit study so that we can all be informed of how these types of decisions are reached.
I really would support the district being audited, because this is an obscene waste of money (even a more obscene waste than the new art work/statue downtown, paid for by taxpayers – an unjustified expenditure. The district could have put the money toward, a more pressing community issue, helping relocate the Caring Place to another municipality. That for sure would benefit the homeowners in that area of our community and a would be a better use of tax dollars.
Doug Buker
Maple Ridge
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