I wish to thank everyone that came to the Friday June 25, 2010 meeting. Not only the neighbours that I met during my Tuesday walk around Margarets St. showed up, but also many other that heard about the meeting and decide to come.
I told Michael Klassen from Citycaucus that there would be "a few" residents that are willing to come out and share the story on Friday afternoon. We were overwhelm by the 25+ people that show up. This is huge considering that I only talked to about 30 neighbours and most are not available on early Friday afternoon.
Michael contacted Global TV News and CKNW News when he realizes this is a big story that affect many many residents.
CKNW and Global News Cameraman was gracious to interview several residents and hear our side of story. What make it even better is we also have cyclists view on camera and tape recording. Everyone hates the median barrier. The cyclists said it is so dangerous to cross the intersection now that they have to wait once at the stop sign and once more at the median barrier before able to cross the intersection.
This is not just about the cyclists being at risk, but also any parents with stroller trying to cross Clarendon. With the 4 Ways STOP signs before, the vehicle speed is around 30km/hr near the intersection. Now the speed that vehicles drive down that stretch of Clarendon is around 60km/hr. If you ask me, it is clear which traffic pattern is safer.
Many people probably wondering what will happen next?
We are planning to raise the median barrier issue during the Waverley Parents/Teachers meeting in September. We are going to ask the school Principal to consider open the meeting to the public like a "townhall" meeting, so all neighbourhood residents can come and voice their concerns.
We will also invite Michael Klassen from Citycaucus, Global TV News and CKNW news to the "town hall" meeting. We estimate that we would have at least a few hundreds concern parents/teachers/residents at the meeting. With the show of group force, we are confident that we can force the Mayor/City Engineering Services to back down and dismantle the median barrier.
I will update this blog and tell the neighbourhood once all the "townhall" meeting detail are confirmed.
Thanks everyone!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Support from the neighbours
I am overwhelmed by the amount of support I received from the neighbours when I walked up and down St. Margarets St. today. I talked to about 30 neighbours out of 60 houses along both side of St. Margarets St.
Almost all the neighbours are happy that someone is organizing a "No" E45th median barrier campaign. There are 3-4 neighbours that want to read the letter before making comments, but I can tell they are not happy with the median barrier either.
If we break into percentage, over 90% of the neighbours are against the median barrier, 10% don't want to make comment, and 0% think the median barrier is a good idea.
During the walk, I met alot of nice neighbours that want to help, and point out which houses/families would like to hear about the "No" median barrier campaign.
One nice lady told me that she is a cyclist and she feels the median barrier is worse than the 4 ways STOP we used to have. The "hole" between the concrete barrier is too small for children trolley towing behind a bike. Now that the 4 ways STOP sign are gone, the cars are driving faster through E45th, so she really wish everthing goes back to the way it was.
Many neighbours said they would come join the Friday meeting with Michael Klassen. Those that can't make the Friday meeting because it is 2:45PM in the afternoon, would show their support by coming to this website.
I wish to thanks everyone for their support. As one neighbour points out, "We did it four years ago, we can do it again." In reference to the City backing down four years ago on the same barrier issue.
Sincerely,
Tom at Margarets St.
Almost all the neighbours are happy that someone is organizing a "No" E45th median barrier campaign. There are 3-4 neighbours that want to read the letter before making comments, but I can tell they are not happy with the median barrier either.
If we break into percentage, over 90% of the neighbours are against the median barrier, 10% don't want to make comment, and 0% think the median barrier is a good idea.
During the walk, I met alot of nice neighbours that want to help, and point out which houses/families would like to hear about the "No" median barrier campaign.
One nice lady told me that she is a cyclist and she feels the median barrier is worse than the 4 ways STOP we used to have. The "hole" between the concrete barrier is too small for children trolley towing behind a bike. Now that the 4 ways STOP sign are gone, the cars are driving faster through E45th, so she really wish everthing goes back to the way it was.
Many neighbours said they would come join the Friday meeting with Michael Klassen. Those that can't make the Friday meeting because it is 2:45PM in the afternoon, would show their support by coming to this website.
I wish to thanks everyone for their support. As one neighbour points out, "We did it four years ago, we can do it again." In reference to the City backing down four years ago on the same barrier issue.
Sincerely,
Tom at Margarets St.
Meet Michael Klassen 24hours newspaper columnist
I am really happy that Michael Klassen, 24 hours newspaper columnist, is willing to come down and meet with us and listen to our story.
Please come and support the "No" median barrier campaign:
Friday, June 25, 2010 2:45PM
at
Waverley elementary school (Clarendon and 46th)
We will be distributing the city engineering letter, and Michael will asks how we residents feel about the median barrier.
It is important we get as many people show up as possible. It maybe the last chance we have in forcing the city to back down through public pressure.
Thanks everyone!
Tom at Margarets St.
Please come and support the "No" median barrier campaign:
Friday, June 25, 2010 2:45PM
at
Waverley elementary school (Clarendon and 46th)
We will be distributing the city engineering letter, and Michael will asks how we residents feel about the median barrier.
It is important we get as many people show up as possible. It maybe the last chance we have in forcing the city to back down through public pressure.
Thanks everyone!
Tom at Margarets St.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Clarendon and 45th median barrier
I would like to share a story on how the City of Vancouver (Mr. Greg Robinson and the Vision councillors) put our children at risk for the benefit of cyclists in the Clarendon and E45th neighbourhood.
A timeline of what happen:
May 7, 2010: The City Engineering mailed out a letter informing the local residents that the City is putting up a median barrier at the intersection of Clarendon and E45th Ave. (see attached City engineering letter)
May 23, 2010: I wrote a more detail e-mail to Mr. Mike Anderson, the representative of City Engineering, voicing why the barrier on the E45th would result in dangerous driving pattern by our local elementary school on E46th.
May 27, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and indicate the "Budget" is a major criteria in their decision making, and the City engineering would monitor the traffic pattern during the trial period.
June 17, 2010: The City Engineering put up a barrier as show on the picture, courtesy of TOS'd at http://www.revscene.net/forums/warning-rant-intersection-t616780p2.html
June 18, 2010: I wrote a detail mail to Mr. Mike Anderson informing him, that since the barrier went up, we have increase traffic along E46th Ave. and Nanaimo St. by our local elementary school zone. I also demand to know how the Engineer that design the barrier want us local residents to get home now that the only direct access on E45th is block off.
June 18, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and said,
As a resident of the neighbourhood, it is reasonable that you use neighbourhood streets to access your home. My suggestion is that you use Nanaimo Street. Although there is a school zone on Nanaimo Street, you as a resident of the neighbourhood are more of aware of this than most, so we would expect you to respect that zone more than many non-local motorists might. As noted in my previous communication with you, we recognize that there is an inconvenience for you and your neighbours. However, our primary objective is to reduce non-local traffic using our bikeways. Note that Nanaimo Street is not designated as a bikeway south of 45th Avenue.
I am very angry and disappointed by the stone-walling tactic that the City Engineering and the current sit-in Vision councillors are taking. Around three years ago, the previous city council was courteous enough to mail an input & feedback letter shortly after the City put up a right turn only barrier at the same intersection. We, local neighbourhood residents, overwhelming vote "NO" to the right turn only barrier. The City backed down and dismantle the temporary barrier. Now 3 years later, the current Vision council don't even want a "Feedback" They want the barrier Now! If no one complaints, then it is going to be permanent concrete island in six months. It is the same tactic the council is using for the Georgia Viaduct.
This tactic is disgusting. the Georgia Viaduct bike project cost the merchants millions in lost sales. The Clarendon & E45th median barrier is at the expense of our children's safety.
These people only care that their precious cyclists get a reduce traffic on their bike route. They don't care the traffic get push to our children's school playground area on E46th.
Mr. Mike Anderson even has the gull to said that Nanaimo from E45th to E49th is no longer their precious bike route, so the increase traffic is okay.
I question what the City Engineering and the current city council is thinking? Do you know how long it take us local residents/parents to get speed humps to reduce the traffic in the E46th and the Nanaimo St. school zone area to protect our children??!! It taken years... We have to wait for a hit-and-run death at Elliott & Waverley St. before we got the E46th pedestrian activated traffic light. So now your adult bikers's safety along E45th are more important than our children's safety who run across the E46th side street & Nanaimo St. near the playgound all the time??
Dear residents,
I ask your help in sharing this story.
We are trying our best to protect our children going to Waverley Elementary school, by writing letters and forwarding petitions to the Mayor & Council. But public pressure is needed.
The current Vision council has a ruling majority and most are extremely cyclist oriented. This issue is not about drivers versus cyclist, but our children's safety versus cyclist's. Please do not let the City Engineering & the Vision council confuse the issue.
If you want more information, please do not hesitate to e-mail me back or comment on this blog.
Sincerely,
Tom Huang at Margarets St.
A timeline of what happen:
May 7, 2010: The City Engineering mailed out a letter informing the local residents that the City is putting up a median barrier at the intersection of Clarendon and E45th Ave. (see attached City engineering letter)
May 23, 2010: I wrote a more detail e-mail to Mr. Mike Anderson, the representative of City Engineering, voicing why the barrier on the E45th would result in dangerous driving pattern by our local elementary school on E46th.
May 27, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and indicate the "Budget" is a major criteria in their decision making, and the City engineering would monitor the traffic pattern during the trial period.
June 17, 2010: The City Engineering put up a barrier as show on the picture, courtesy of TOS'd at http://www.revscene.net/forums/warning-rant-intersection-t616780p2.html
June 18, 2010: I wrote a detail mail to Mr. Mike Anderson informing him, that since the barrier went up, we have increase traffic along E46th Ave. and Nanaimo St. by our local elementary school zone. I also demand to know how the Engineer that design the barrier want us local residents to get home now that the only direct access on E45th is block off.
June 18, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and said,
As a resident of the neighbourhood, it is reasonable that you use neighbourhood streets to access your home. My suggestion is that you use Nanaimo Street. Although there is a school zone on Nanaimo Street, you as a resident of the neighbourhood are more of aware of this than most, so we would expect you to respect that zone more than many non-local motorists might. As noted in my previous communication with you, we recognize that there is an inconvenience for you and your neighbours. However, our primary objective is to reduce non-local traffic using our bikeways. Note that Nanaimo Street is not designated as a bikeway south of 45th Avenue.
I am very angry and disappointed by the stone-walling tactic that the City Engineering and the current sit-in Vision councillors are taking. Around three years ago, the previous city council was courteous enough to mail an input & feedback letter shortly after the City put up a right turn only barrier at the same intersection. We, local neighbourhood residents, overwhelming vote "NO" to the right turn only barrier. The City backed down and dismantle the temporary barrier. Now 3 years later, the current Vision council don't even want a "Feedback" They want the barrier Now! If no one complaints, then it is going to be permanent concrete island in six months. It is the same tactic the council is using for the Georgia Viaduct.
This tactic is disgusting. the Georgia Viaduct bike project cost the merchants millions in lost sales. The Clarendon & E45th median barrier is at the expense of our children's safety.
These people only care that their precious cyclists get a reduce traffic on their bike route. They don't care the traffic get push to our children's school playground area on E46th.
Mr. Mike Anderson even has the gull to said that Nanaimo from E45th to E49th is no longer their precious bike route, so the increase traffic is okay.
I question what the City Engineering and the current city council is thinking? Do you know how long it take us local residents/parents to get speed humps to reduce the traffic in the E46th and the Nanaimo St. school zone area to protect our children??!! It taken years... We have to wait for a hit-and-run death at Elliott & Waverley St. before we got the E46th pedestrian activated traffic light. So now your adult bikers's safety along E45th are more important than our children's safety who run across the E46th side street & Nanaimo St. near the playgound all the time??
Dear residents,
I ask your help in sharing this story.
We are trying our best to protect our children going to Waverley Elementary school, by writing letters and forwarding petitions to the Mayor & Council. But public pressure is needed.
The current Vision council has a ruling majority and most are extremely cyclist oriented. This issue is not about drivers versus cyclist, but our children's safety versus cyclist's. Please do not let the City Engineering & the Vision council confuse the issue.
If you want more information, please do not hesitate to e-mail me back or comment on this blog.
Sincerely,
Tom Huang at Margarets St.
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