BLUERIDGE / RIVERSIDE STAIRWAY SAFETY PROBLEMS

Several years ago, the District installed an unlighted stairway on the very steep section of the footpath from Berkley Avenue to Rivergrove Place, in Riverside. This has provided the shortest route for Riverside residents to the nearest bus stop, schools and playgrounds and for Blueridge residents to get to Riverside.

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TYPICAL STAIRWAY LANDING WITH “PARTY” REMNANTS

The majority of users are from Riverside who use the 210 Berkley bus service and students walking to or from school. This includes English language immersion homestays who travel by bus to and from their schools. There are no neighbour parks (with playing fields/equipment) in the Seymour Valley corridor so kids sometime hike the trail to access playgrounds.

Recently Mrs.Amanda Laranjo,  2107 Berkley, (next to the upper-end of the stairway), reported seeing people burning paper to light their way on the stairs on dark nights. The secluded stairway is a meeting place for youths at night time.(“party” clean up is often carried out by Mr. Sshuuman)(see above photo)

This is one of the few pathways, between residential areas in Seymour, which does not have overhead lighting. It is the longest unlighted connecting pathway in Seymour.  The stairs have been built, at considerable expense. They are well used and poorly maintained. The project should be completed by the provision of adequate lighting, for the safety of its users.

On several occasions, I have directed strangers who could not find the Blueridge end of the footpath due to the lack of a direction sign. Signs are required at both ends of the trail.

Following my recent inquiry a District Planner, Susan Rogers, responded with; It is not in the 2003 Capital Budget Request, as we have a long list of other trail projects that have been siting in-line for several years. We do, however have it on our list for attention.

The upper end of the trail exits on to Berkley Avenue a short distance from the junction with Sechelt Drive. It is necessary to cross Berkley to reach a bus stop or to go to Blueridge School. This is a safety concern, particularly during rush hour when most of the traffic is travelling over the 50K speed limit and does not yield to pedestrians. No response has been received to a recent request by Mr. W Schuurman, Seymour Valley Community Association, that a marked crosswalk be installed on Berkley.

This is an opportunity for residents of Blueridge, through their Community Association to cooperate with the Seymour Valley Community in rectifying this situation in order to provide, in the near furure, a safe walking route between the two communities.

Jim Porter, 2152 Berkley Ave. Phone:604 929 1642; email: djimp@shaw.ca

April 17, 2003