Editor:
Re: Province on board for rail relocation, Feb. 10.
I again watch with amusement as the ‘railway relocation theatre’ plays out municipality and provincially.
I hope we all can see through this absurd show. The railway will never be relocated. It would cost many billions, not just one billion. The land acquisition alone would cost billions. The legal battles would go on forever.
Does anybody think that any politician would show their faces in public readily, once the uproar starts with the ‘not in my backyard’ scenarios? I sure as heck wouldn’t want a coal train, chemical time bomb or frequent freight train rerouted through my property, when the route that has existed for decades is fully operational.
Come on now, people, the repetitive rise in interest and chest beating before the 2018 elections is just that – an empty rallying call to arms. Free election advertising for all those who ‘jump aboard.’ Another fruitless and wasteful pile of money offered/spent on another study that may proceed ‘if’ the feds cough up the dough. A ruse, a red herring and distraction from the real mess the current lot have made of things.
Hoping we will all collectively forget the political and financial transgressions each jurisdiction has foisted on its citizenry until they are once again voted in and the chicanery again proceeds at full tilt.
Garry Wolgemuth, White Rock
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With better weather coming, I have been thinking about the beaches and railroad safety for our community and cities.
I have been wondering why the train company doesn’t build little overpasses for pedestrians to cross at certain intervals, especially around parks or other areas so people don’t get run over. This would be inexpensive and seems like a feasible solution to avoid tragic accidents that will continue to occur along the tracks.
It is sad, but I don’t know if the corporation and government will ever support moving the tracks.
Unfortunately, if we think about Canadian history, the government was so determined to lay these tracks that the Canadian First Nations culture was crushed, along with severe damage to wildlife. Many other safety and environmental issues were also disregarded.
Louis Riel, a Canadian hero, desperately tried to help his people to have the tracks laid in different area than their land. But the government wouldn’t listen to him, and I don’t know if they will listen to us now.
I see a continuous pattern every summer that the tragic accidents that occur along the beachfront. The railway will continue to misdirect blame for these accidents onto the unfortunate victims. They will refuse to take any kind of responsibility for these tragedies. I don’t know if this type of corporation will invest the type of time and money it would take to move these tracks.
Wherever you have machines, you are going to have accidents. Car accidents are exactly the same as train accidents, yet there are a lot of funds going into helping those people who suffer from car accidents, and victims of train accidents seem to be treated with less respect.
For now, what about the possible compromise of building small overpasses for pedestrians at areas along the beachfront where there are parks and cities? They would look a lot nicer than fences and could even increase tourism. They could make the bridges look nice, and it might be a nice home for our popular ‘bear’ statues to greet visitors from other nations.
They have used these types of overpasses in Europe and it has proven to be quite successful.
I am speaking about this issue because of my own accident, which resulted in a metatarsal right-foot amputation that will cause physical pain for the rest of my life. I have concern for our community and I hope others will not have an experience like mine.
Colin Fletcher, White Rock
