The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 13, 1997 - A5 ‘errace’s new vision Planners turn to greenbelts, walkways and bike paths in hopes of making the city a more liveable place. By JEFF NAGEL et’s face it, this city has changed. No ionger the small, quiet town it used to be, Terrace now suffers from its share of big-city problems. - Urban sprawl, traffic congestion, noise and pol- lution are just a few of the dilemmas facing ' today’s city planners, And anyone witnessing a mother pushing a baby buggy across the train tracks knows just how badly this growing com- munity needs safer and more convenient walk- ing and biking paths. City hall is now tackling these issues head-on with an ambitious new community vision that includes a network of tails and walkways crisscrossing town and a pedesiriam overpass across the railroad tracks. . Those things as well as provisions to map out bicycle routes, retain trees, and protect natural - areas are contained in proposed amendments to ~ the city’s Official Conimunity Plan. It's the greenest document to ever surface at | city hall, and would make the City of Terrace more directly involved in protecting environ- mentally sensitive areas and securing land for future public use. City planner David Trawin says the changes come in response to rising public demand to both protect green space and provide adequatc walking trails and bike routes. He’s looking for public comment on the docu- -ment, which is available at city hall, aud expects city council to examine the ideas in detail this month. The amendments also include regulations on how to protect environmentally sensitive arcas, which were laid oul-in a draft report tabled by consultants this spring. The pedestrian overpass appears on the map of sidewalks and walkways as crossing the rail- way tracks at Kalum St. It would allow those on foot to cross directly from the Co-op and come out on Keith Ave, near the new Tim Horton’s. Trawin said the pedestrian bridge would be heavily used, giving a good route to downtown for increasing numbers of southside residents, : and added it would reduce the problem of people risking their lives by illegally crossing the railway tracks. ‘He doesn’t have a cost estimate on the idea yet and hasn’t approached CN, but says even if it was in excess of $250,000 it would be worthwhile. “We feel this could be of considerable benefit toa large number of people,” Trawin said. He noted Sparks St. is now being rebuilt at a. cost of $600,000. oa, a ‘We feel this could benefit more people at a lower cost, and improve safety,”’ be said. Trails/walkways The same map sets out an array of proposed new trails and walkways that the clty would like ‘to develop. The amendments call for the city to identify pedestrian routes and promote pedestrian travel ina ‘‘safe walking environment’. : Tt says walking is a low-cost way to travel, part of a healthy lifestyle, and reduces traffic “congestion and parking problems. New trails and walkways proposed in the plan include: gi A riverside trail along the Skeena River from Graham Ave, near Pear St, all the way to Braun’s Island, where it would link with future sidewalks on Haugland, Skeena and Frank. Streets. _ WEA linear park with walkway between the -highway and the railway tracks from Frank St. "to the overpass. A major extension of the Howe Creck trail system southwest all the way to Kalum Lake Drive. wi Four new routes to access the Terrace Mountain trail — two via the Kitselas Road, one that would also connect to the Howe Creek trail system at Kalum St. and Tuck Ave,, and one coming down behind the courthouse. BA trail along the river at the west end of the new Skeena River bridge. @ Other trails on the bench north of Dairy Ave. and near the Kitsclas Road, following Spring Creek. Trailways are to be multi-use, accommodating, walkers, bikers, wheelchairs and rollerbladers as much as possible. The document says topog- raphy will sometimes preclude some uses, and IT MAY BE tough to ride on these days, but once Sparks St. is finished being repaved It will boast the city’s first bicycle lanes. The: city plans to create more such lanes as dif- ferent streets fecelve new pavement. - TRAILS AND WALKWAYS around the city need to expanded, according to Terrace's pro- - posed revision of the Official Community Plan. The popular Howe Creek Trail system en- joyed here by Tyson Vandevelde and Staven Rhoders is on the list for possible extension. _ separate paths may be created in some areas to ensure safety when pedestrians and cyclists use the same area. Land for many of the proposed trails is on pri- vately owned properly. Trawin said when property owners seek to rezone land or subdivide, the city will ask the owner to dedicate the walkway for public use. “It’s a way of saying you are getting an ¢co- nomic benefit from the city — namely your rezoning or subdivision — so now what are you giving back to the city?”’ Trawin said. That formalizes much of what city staff, like parks and recreation superintendent Steve Scott, have already been trying to do in gradually : ‘securing land in areas stich as Howe Creeks.” '" But puiting it in the Official Community Plan’ "will give city officials more authority in carry- ing out that mission. Bike routes A separate map and proposals outline both recreational bike paths, which mirror many of the proposed trails, and road bike routes. Under the plan, most of the city’s main feeder streets would include bike routes, many of them with defined lanes for cyclists. Examples include: Eby St, Sparks St., Kalum St, McConnell Ave. on the bench, Halliwell, Graham, Haugland and Kalum Lake Drive. Bike routes won't appear on the those streets immediately, but rather gradually as they get repaved, Sparks St., now under reconstruction, will be the first new city strecl to sport delineated bicycle Janes. There would be a comprehensive cycle route sign system and information for cyclists about routes, facilities, services, directions, potential hazards and regulations. But the proposed amendments don’t stop there. They also suggest council encourage major destinations — be they stores, industry, government offices, or schools — to offer secure cycle parking and access to change rooms. And that council cven contemplate giving developers a break on parking require- ments or other zoning regulations if they pro- vide those cycle amenities. Trawin also says the bike route plan will put Terrace in good position in future years if provincial or federal governraent grants are of- fered for bike route projects, , City staff would pull out the plan and have detailed proposals all ready to go, he said, put- ting the community in better position than its _ competitors to get those grants. Greenways The amendments to the Official Community Plan defines a ‘‘greenway”’ as a linear system of open spaces. They can protect natural cor- ridors for wildlife movement, be used for recreation, offer alternate transportation routes within the city, contain urban growth, and serve * as an aesthetic buffer between conflicting land — uses, ‘providing visual relief and spiritual respite.’" 5 The policies in the report call on the city to create the Howe Creek Greenway asa pilot pro- ject, in cooperation with the federal fisheries de- partment, BC Euvironment, landowners, the Terrace Greenbelt Association and other com- munity groups. It would serve as a model for future green- ways in the city, which could include the Skeena River, Kitsumkalum River, Spring Creek, upper Howe Creek, and Heek Brook. Eventually, Trawin says, the city would like to see a greenway network. ‘We'd like to see a linking of the Howe Creck Greenway with a Terrace Mountain Greenway, with downtown walkways and such- forth,’’ he said. “When you look at the walk-. ways and bike path plan, we've tried to Hnk all those logether.’”” _ distance of those walercourses, «=: : Sensitive areas Environmentally sensilive areas — more than 700 acres within city limits — are to be pro- tected by designating certain areas as ‘“‘develop- ment permit areas’’. Development in those areas — generally lands closely bordering the Skeena River, Kalum River, Howe Creek, Spring Creek, the bench es- carpment or Terrace Mountain —- would be closely regulated, The goal would be to protect fish-bearing waters, fish and wildlife habitat, maintain natu- ral drainage courses and retain areas of high scenic value to the community as a whole. ancy Development:couldn’tcome within a, certain Preservation ‘of ‘natural ‘vegetation, existing tree cover, or select trees for view purposes is “strongly encouraged” within those areas, the document says, Ko pinee-eenim eee Bo ae Carer cea ei RIGHT NOW, one of the few ways to cross the train tracks is over the very busy Sande Overpass. A revised community plan sug- gests building a pedestrian overpass near _ the Co-op for walkers and bikers. Before any subdivision or development in a development permit area, a tree survey and management plan would have to be prepared, identifying trees to be cut, vegetation to be pro- tected and the size and species of replacement trees to be planted. "Trees play a critical role in protecting the natural environment and enhancing the human _lancscape,’? the amendments say, urging th tetention of trees, protection of wild trees providing habitat, and encouraging tree plant- ing. The tree protection section of the document calls for a Tree Protection Bylaw to be drawn up for significant trees, wildlife trees and treed _areas in identified cnvironmentally sensitive . areas. , The city would discourage people from chop- ping down entire stands of trees to improve their view. Instead, the city would authorize ' removal of a few select trees to improve views. The amendments say areas with a natural slope of more than 30 per cent should be con- sidered for preservation, Any development that is approved on those steep slopes would require a geotechnical report by a professional engincer. The overall tone of the document is unlike any other ever adopted by the city. It would be the first city statute that would list as an overriding goal ‘‘protect the environ- ment” on its first page. Goals set out include protecting basic resources of clean air, water and land for future generations, protecting remaining environmen- tally significant or sensitive areas, requiring en- virormentally responsible development prac- tices, anid enhancing awareness aud promotion of activities that protect and restore the environ- ment, | ; ; _ DR ses CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD The Mail Bag P™"Seeall drive misguided _ ecall drive misguided Dear Sir: Where do these coalitions come from? (‘‘Many groups form MLA recall coalition” Terrace Standard, July 30, 1997) They secm to appear like pine mushrooms overnight. Our MLA was voted into office by voters of the Skeena riding, not coalition members. Mr. Giesbrecht had absolutely no part in the downfall of Skeena Cellulose. Any adept person knows the bankruptcy was caused by workers voting for strike ac- tion, No company can sustain a three-month shutdown. The domino effect has already started and if it is not stopped soon, many people will lose everyihing they worked so hard for, Lam certain our MLA is working toward the goal to get peaple back to work, then that is where his votes will come from, Those false innuendoes are countet- productive, If those coalitions really want lo help they should pool their resources and get people back to work, instead of wasting valuable time with a recall. Manfred Bader Terrace, B.C. Recallers are poor losers Dear Sir: “We will be looking at the recall procedure, and targeting some riding where we think the MLA is vul- nerable’’, That's a quote from the Liberal party whip from Abbotsford. Mike Scott says that recall is to be used when the MLA/MP is grossly negligent or dealing in conflicts or just plain lazy. But the political reality is in the quote from the Liber- als, It will not matter what the person in office has done —- or has not done. The trigger to the recall will be if he or she and the government is vulnerable. Can there be a byelection, and clect someone else to office and embarrass the government? Nothing to do with performance, but everything to do with politics and power struggle, In politics friends are bard won, but enemies quickly accumulate, Everyone you could not help (even those God could not help) will sign a petition against you. And a petition is a very undemocratic weapon. It’s undemocratic because there is never any space for the other side of the question. It’s a one-sided document. A recall law might work in a country with a two- party system such as the USA, but it will not work in a democratic, multi-party system with three parties. The losers, mad as hell, gang up on the winner, Vulnerability is the key. It’s not what you do for the constituents that will matter, but (with gang effort) can you be tom down? ; Does any know how much elections cost? Here we are trying to save money, when a bunch of political organizers on an ego trip want to spend ten million or so on a mid-term election, because they couldn’t win the last one. Les Watmovgh oe, _ Terrace, B.C. SF aie ae stg ne FE gh “tae ar ot we, We need tolerant citizens . " Dear Sir: ; , The issue of teaching tolerance of homosexuality I believe has been completely exacerbated by much of - the media, concemed parents, teachers and gencral members of the Terrace populace. . I fear for the children forgotten by both the public school system and a coalition of bigoted parents, Asa youth almost at the end of my high school education, I have noticed more and more the increased segregation propagated by the outlandish, fundamentalist beliefs of a particular group of parents as their participation in our public school system increases. The main purpose of our school system and the educators therin is to by the end of grade 12, eject suc- cessful members into our Canadian society. To be classified as a successful member of society is one whom is not judgmental, prejudiced or bigoted towards any other group of people. A successful indi- vidual follows the rules and conventions. of society. He/she does not base their ideas without adequate in- formation or fact. The individual is educated and liter- ate of the world around them. This, we have been taught since kindergarten in the public school system. I believe that morals have taken centre stage in this heated topic. Tolerance of homosexuality is nota moral issue. The issue here is tolerance and what does it mean? “To recognize and respect the opinions and right of others,” says Webster’s Dictionary. This topic has been debated for the past couple of months but the issue has been clouded. Yes, we do want children with strong moral and ethical beliefs, but don’t we also want healthy Canadian citizens who ac-— cept and respect the differences of fellow Canadians? Whether that be color, creed, sex, age, race or sexual preference it really shouldn’t matter; for the tolerant youths of today will emerge as our tolerant, successful members of society tomorrow, This and only this will allow Canada to remain a leader in our global community. And isa’t that what we all want? Sarah E, Glen Terrace, B.C, Getting hosed Dear Sir: Driving around the province, it almost appears that we in the northwest are being gouged by the oil com- panies. How can gas prices all over British Columbia range from 48.9 cents per litre in Abbotsford, 51.4 cents per litre in Prince George as well as 54 to 56 cents per litre in the Okanagan and remain at 61.9 here in Kitimat and Terrace? Either the distribution companies or the local dealers are getting rich as several cents per litre for distribution costs would be ridiculous. I also wonder how we’al- ways seem to see an increase in gas pump prices when crude prices rise but never seem to benefit from a decrease in crude prices. Perhaps some justification from the oil companies and local gas stations is warranted to residents of the area, Sieg Wuensche Kitimat B.C. The Terrace Standard welcomes letters to the editor. Our maliing address |e 3210 Clinton St, Terrace, B.C., V8G 5A2. You can. also fax us at 250-638-8432. And you cane- — mall ug at standard@kermode.net .