Respect private property

Legion asking drivers to stop using access as roadway on the south side of their property

This section of the Legion’s property is being misused by the driving public. The access is strictly for the 12 Legion parking spaces on their property south of the Legion building.

This section of the Legion’s property is being misused by the driving public. The access is strictly for the 12 Legion parking spaces on their property south of the Legion building.

There is a little road in North Quesnel that is

quite well used, however, its not actually a road.

It has no name as its an access to the Legion

parking spots on the south end of their property.

When the old Legion burnt to the ground

and was rebuilt on the same property in 1997,

they were required to pave the entire property.

Legion property extends from Barlow Avenue,

north, Kinchant Street, west, St. Andrews United

Church, south and the fire and emergency

alley, east. The property line is clearly marked

by the pavement.

The first row of parking spaces bordering

Barlow Avenue belong to the city but the balance

of the property and parking spaces belong to

the Legion.

Right from the beginning, access to their 12

parking spaces on the north side has been used

by the public as a convenient road and to some

extent this is also true of their parking area on

the north side.

However, since construction began on the new

arena, the problem has increased by 100-fold,

according to Legion spokesperson Doug Carey.

“I’m not against downtown development, but

with too few parking spaces for existing uses,

we want to protect our parking spaces for our

veterans, their families and Legion members,”

Carey said.

“When the public uses our access on the south

side of the building there’s a real safety issue for

Legion patrons using our designated parking

spaces on that side.”

Carey said he went to City Hall to discuss the

issue and was told by a front desk staffer ‘they

didn’t particularly care where people parked.’

He also spoke with the RCMP regarding what

options they had to handle the problem themselves

and he was advised the first thing the

Legion needs to do is advise the public of the

issue before they even post a sign or take any

other action.

Carey then came to the Observer for assistance.

The Legion has considered various solutions

but is appealing to the public to be considerate

of the issue of vehicles speeding through this

Legion access and to use designated roads to get

to their destination as well as refraining from

using Legion parking spaces for non-Legion

activities.

“The public continues to use this as a thoroughfare

but with the new arena construction,

this access is now used by heavy trucks and has

increased congestion and safety issues to an

intolerable level,” Carey said.

“It has to stop.”

Quesnel Cariboo Observer