Sunday September 5, 2010

Letters

More On Transit

A foreign POV of Chilliwack's bus system

y name is Myles Harris and I’ve been supporting my partner Jennifer during her transit crusade since the beginning.

    Although I’m a slightly bias foreigner who is used to the transit of a big city like Melbourne Australia; I feel quite comfortable voicing my opinion on the transit situation in Chilliwack, a city I hope to call home one day, because I have used the Chilliwack bus system more often than the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) Chair member, Councillor Janzen.

Considering Chilliwack’s size its public transit system is nothing short of a disgrace.

                                                                                                                                             Facebook photo

                                                                       Aussie Myles Harris concerned about transit.

The system is the regrettable result of a crumbled government process ran by a council seemingly out of touch with its citizens.

Judging from the Chilliwack transit authorities’ acute agitation when the bus system’s deficiencies were put on display it’s painfully obvious that they have become quite comfortable sitting on their hands over the last several years.

The blatant lip service paid by the municipality first in the council meeting, second in the TAC meeting, and yet again in the engineers meeting only highlights the lack of urgency felt by the council on a topic that should be of paramount importance during this pivotal time of community growth.

City Hall often boasts about their minimal tax rates, at the same time the city has to constantly rely on provincial and federal funding to catalyse change and improvement. The city’s infrastructure cannot support the community’s growth and that’s nothing to brag about!

I’m pleased to see the residents of Chilliwack voicing their opinion on the transit situation and I’m eager to encourage more people to take a stand alongside of Jennifer, to whom I’m so proud of.

I challenge those on the council, and TAC to spend a work week utilizing the bus system as their sole source of transportation. Maybe spending some time in the shoes of the unfortunate 1% of Chilliwack that makes up the transit ridership it will help them refocus themselves in their roles as community servants. Perhaps the municipality should be reminded that the voting population of Chilliwack are the ones they answer to come election time.

I look forward to seeing Chilliwack grow up strong and structured in all facets of its development; especially transportation; a car should be a luxury not a necessity.

Myles Harris, Melbourne, Australia

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