It was a tough weekend for emergency responders at Cultus Lake.
With beachgoers flocking to the area, and parking where they shouldn香蕉视频直播檛, firefighters had a terrible time getting to calls. It香蕉视频直播檚 an annual problem along the Columbia Valley Highway, and this time it was caught on video. Two Cultus Lake Fire Department engines creep along the route, sirens blaring, trying to thread the needle between traffic on one side and parked cars on the other.
香蕉视频直播淧eople are worried and frustrated and it香蕉视频直播檚 time for a solution,香蕉视频直播� said local resident Taryn Dixon. 香蕉视频直播淎nd it may be time for a tough solution.香蕉视频直播�
The past few years, B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has placed pylons along the roadway to discourage visitors from parking along the side. Dixon said there are fewer of them this year, and they haven香蕉视频直播檛 been much of a deterrent.
香蕉视频直播淭hey get pushed over the edge or tossed in the lake,香蕉视频直播� she noted. 香蕉视频直播淚 fished a bunch of them out (of the lake) yesterday morning. People park well into the travel lane, and then there香蕉视频直播檚 nowhere to walk, so people are walking in the travel lane. They stand in the middle of the road and talk to someone in a vehicle when others are trying to get by.
香蕉视频直播淧eople are trying to drive as carefully as possible, but you never know when a door is going to fling open or someone香蕉视频直播檚 going to bring their kids out onto the road.香蕉视频直播�
Dixon is well connected as the Fraser Valley Regional District香蕉视频直播檚 director for Electoral Area H, and she has been sounding the alarm about this for years. She has made Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon aware of it, and has asked the RCMP about increasing ticketing and enforcement.
香蕉视频直播淭he real concern is nothing has changed, beyond more and more people coming to Cultus Lake on hot days,香蕉视频直播� Dixon said. 香蕉视频直播淔or eight years I香蕉视频直播檝e been going to the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the province, and we香蕉视频直播檙e still in the same place.香蕉视频直播�
Dixon said RCMP is the only entity with the authority to ticket or tow, and she acknowledged they have to make decisions on where to deploy resources on busy summer days. But Dixon suggested people who park illegally do so knowing there香蕉视频直播檚 no enforcement.
香蕉视频直播淚n addition to the pylons, there are sign-boards asking people to respect no-parking zones, warning them towing is in effect and telling them emergency vehicles need access, but those are obviously ignored,香蕉视频直播� she observed. 香蕉视频直播淭he public believes they can park wherever they want because nothing will happen, and I can see why they think that.香蕉视频直播�
To allow the FVRD to ticket and tow would require changes to provincial legislation, and Dixon said that would be 香蕉视频直播渁 process.香蕉视频直播�
She香蕉视频直播檚 suggested allowing B.C. Parks staff to ticket and tow, and had that idea shot down.
She香蕉视频直播檚 suggested limiting the number of visitors allowed into the park using a day pass system, but that hasn香蕉视频直播檛 gone anywhere.
香蕉视频直播淲hen the lots are full in the B.C. Parks area, is there a way to close the road to locals only?香蕉视频直播� Dixon mused. 香蕉视频直播淲hen those lots are full, it means there are no legal parking spaces. If the goal is to keep people from parking on the side of the road, limiting the number of people coming up is a way to do that.香蕉视频直播�
There香蕉视频直播檚 even been talk of a shuttle bringing people into Cultus Lake Provincial Park, to keep cars out.
There have been lots of ideas, Dixon said, but little action.
香蕉视频直播淔or people living around the lake, this is our highway, our only road in and out of our area, and on any main road there香蕉视频直播檚 no way this should be acceptable,香蕉视频直播� Dixon said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e asking that it be protected and kept safe for people who live here, but also for guests, and emergency personnel who struggle to get where they need to go.
香蕉视频直播淭his needs to be addressed before something tragic happens.香蕉视频直播�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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