Editor:
Open letter to the City of Surrey.
Another decade of darkness, no sidewalks or expanded lanes on 24 Avenue!
Thank you to Doug McLeod at Surrey engineering for calling to discuss our letter requesting immediate improvements for 24 Avenue in Grandview. Also thank you to Coun. Dave Woods for your email response.
What Mr. McLeod confirmed is that improvements to 24 Avenue are only in the 10-year plan. This has confirmed our worst fears. Those of us living in Grandview are being asked to live in a multi-year building zone with no infrastructure improvements until Surrey’s rule of no improvements until developers complete their projects for the entire length of 24 Avenue between 161A and 176 streets.
This is unacceptable policy and is dangerous to us Grandview citizens.
Mr. McLeod also sees no inconsistency that new projects along 164 Street and other non-main roads can get street lighting, sidewalks and completed roads but not for 24 Avenue, which is a major connecting road system.
We are among many that would like to walk or bike to the new Grandview pool complex (168 Street and 24 Avenue), complete with its new sidewalks and street lighting. This is not now possible, and in fact would be very dangerous when dark.
We are being told that safe street lighting, sidewalks and roads should not be expected for a decade. With the large number of new projects under construction and approved along 24 Avenue, the current policy of not improving 24 Avenue reduces our livability on a daily basis.
Our strata complex which abuts 24 Avenue on 163 Street was completed in 2010. We have paid for street lights, road expansion and curbs through the DCC’s. We are being told that the money, which the City of Surrey holds, does not have to supply the improvements for 17 years or more! Grandview is growing with lots of young families and seniors (like us) need these street lights, sidewalks and roads now.
The risk of major accidents and incidents along 24 Avenue in Grandview is now high and increases exponentially daily with the large number of building projects and substantially increasing population. Mr. McLeod, when asked about expansion of 32 Avenue to four lanes, indicated that due to neighbourhood objections this would not proceed ever. Why build an access to Highway 99 off 32 Avenue and provide insufficient road access along 32nd?
The rapidly growing neighbourhoods in Grandview desperately need improved main roads. The two most necessary are 24 and 32 avenues.
These cannot wait any longer.
Gladys & Ted Willmer, Surrey
