This is a letter of great concern that I and many others who are regular riders have for where the bus stop got moved to during the paving of the parking lot at the Chahko-Mika Mall.
I don’t know if it’s Nelson Transit or BC Transit or a combination of both who want the stop left where it is right now but it’s definitely a dangerous and unsafe place for a permanent stop.
1) It’s right at a three-way intersection at the corner of Walmart’s garden centre and even though a sign has been put up telling people not to go around the bus when it’s stopped, people in personal vehicles still go around the bus. There’s going to be an accident if that stop is permanent.
2) Getting up and down the curb that’s there is hard at the best of times for seniors and those with any type of disability or visual impairment. With winter coming, it has already been icy from the stop to the mall sidewalk and there are those who have slipped on the ice in front of the gate for the garden centre.
3) Add to that there’s a tree right in front of the bench. Even if the bench is moved further from the stop sign, people with walkers and buggies have to walk on the road itself to get around to the mall sidewalk. This just adds to a dangerous area for a bus stop.
4) There’s definitely insufficient lighting in that area. It’s around the corner and out of the main sight of the front of the mall. I know I would be really nervous if I had to wait for a bus there after dark.
One suggestion I have to get the stop moved back to Save-On-Foods is to have the bus route back to Lakeside Dr., turn right at the start of the mall parking lot and turn left to go down the front of the mall over the speed bumps. It went thatway years ago and there were never any problems. Going that way also eliminates the “lollipop” the bus is having to do now and would likely take about the same amount of time. When the bus routes back through the mall on its return trip downtown, it could go the same way. I realize going over speed bumps isn’t great but it’s a much better possibility than keeping the stop outside of Walmart’s garden centre.
All the regular riders I have overheard and talked to want the stop to go back to Save-On. The people in the mall office want the stop moved back to Save-On. Save-On wants the stop moved back to Save-On. Even some employees of the mall itself want the stop moved back.
Please, please, please get the stop moved back to Save-On-Foods end of the mall. It is just such a ridiculous place to have it where it is right now.
Jill Wilson, Nelson
