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Candidate: Malcolm Ashford Answers:
- Obviously traffic
and transportation are and always have been major issues for the
community. An alternate route for truck traffic other than River
Road is a must. If the Gateway Program (Provincial Ministry of
Transportation) is willing to consider a tunnel under North Delta as
part of the solution, I would be quite prepared to support and lobby
for that option. My sense however is that this is not a solution
that Gateway is willing to pursue mainly for financial reasons. If
such is the case Gateway should be prepared to provide the community
with a detailed and accurate costing of the tunnel option to justify
why this solution is not feasible. If a tunnel is not an option, I
would support proceeding with the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR)
as soon as possible. The design of SFPR should be such that
neighbourhood concerns are taken into consideration, particularly
eliminating any on/off ramps in the vicinity of Centre and Russell
streets.
- Community input is
critical to resolving the above and other issues. It must be
meaningful input over the long term not jut one public meeting such
as the one token meeting the current council held at the 11th
hour to gauge community concerns. Community input has been ignored
far too long. Council needs to be a conduit of public input from the
community to the Gateway Program and the success of this approach
will depend upon re-building relationships between council and the
provincial government so that input is taken seriously.
- Preservation of
our heritage is very important. Council should be an advocate on
behalf of the community in heritage preservation. Again
relationships will be key to thoughtful solutions. Council should
insist on comprehensive environmental reviews before any
transportation solution is allowed to proceed. Processes are in
place (federal and provincial environmental review processes) that
should be respected and allowed to proceed to completion.
- There are three
separate districts in Delta and soon to be a fourth – the Tsawwassen
First Nation (TFN). These distinct areas and their differences can
be a strength if we approach issues and their solutions in a logical
and thoughtful way. There is strength in diversity.
I support community town
hall meetings on a semi-annual basis so that input can be received on a
variety of issues. I also support a more effective OCP (Official
Community Plan) process that is meaningful and timely. This would also
apply to the area plans that evolve from an OCP. The current OCP process
is flawed, by lack of input, and leads to an OCP developed by staff with
direction from the political masters, rather than a truly public process
and document. Significant weight must be given to public input as the
public voice should be the driver behind a vision for our community.
Politicians should be the “implementers” of the public will.
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