Most say light rail transit re TheReview Wednesday, March 18, 1992 — A3 x aS CANADIAN NAVY personnel go through a fire drill aboard a training vessel docked off the Beacon Avenue wharf Thursday. Four Navy ships visited Sidney overnight as a goodwill gesture. by Girard Hengen The Review Getting people out of their cars so that fewer drive the region’s highways — causing congestion, pollution and a demand for even bigger highways — was a main concer of Sidney residents at a recent public meeting. Many speakers advanced the idea of a light rail rapid transit system that would carry Peninsula “commuters into downtown Vic- toria during a meeting March 4 of - the Capital Regional District’s transportation strategy project. Some had other suggestions on how to relieve pressure on the Pat Bay Highway. — And most agreed planning must ensure that highway designs do not destroy the “ambience” of small communities like Sidney. The transportation strategy, a two-year $780,000 project, is intended to go hand-in-hand with a CRD development strategy pro- ject. Both are intended to gauge public opinion on the future of the region. John Robertson said there should be full-time planners in -each CRD municipality making sure planning in and for one area isn’t done in isolation of the needs of other areas. “This is something that is long overdue,” he said, adding since future growth seems inevitable, “we must plan for it, because if we don’t, we are going to suffer the consequences.” Inter-municipal co-operation is essential to improve traffic flows off the major highways, he said. He said freeways should be placed where they do not have an impact on the community. “Our community is a horrible example of that,” he said, noting a few overpasses joining Sidney toads that have been divided by the highway would better link the town. JAY LYN JEWELLERS JAY LYN JEWELLERS All Done on Location #12 - 2510 Bevan Ave. (Corner of 2nd & Bevan, Sidney) HOURS: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 656-5556 Bill Cheadle, a North Saanich resident, said land use policies have to be taken into account by transportation planners. He said growth might be inevita- ble on parts of Vancouver Island, but that doesn’t mean it has to happen in North Saanich. He urged the CRD project to look beyond Official Community Plans, which have five-year life spans, when deciding major trans- portation routes because OCPs don’t provide a long-term vision of a community. Some residents looked to light rail rapid transit as an answer to relieving the crush of highway traffic. Saying he was “against major highways,” Reg Teeney said a light rail rapid transit line could be rin from the Victoria airport to the downtown core, and a feeder line from Sidney to the airport could connect residents to the system. It may be costly, but compared to highway construction, “weigh- ing one against the other, it just might work out,” he said. Others agreed light rail was a better alternative than having more Police warn of bad card An attempt to use an invalid credit card to purchase a $1,125 color television from a local busi- ness was discovered by a Beacon Avenue business March 10, Sidney RCMP said. A Master Card number was given to the merchant over the phone, with a request to deliver the television. “Tn this case the business fol- lowed correct procedures and checked with the Master Card centre, determining the use of the card was invalid,” police said. Mounties also discovered that the man, apparently using the name James Charles, successfully defrauded a Saanich company using the same technique. The identity of the suspect is still not known and local business- es are warned to obtain full parti- culars from people placing orders for merchandise. In addition, per- sonal identification should be obtained at the time the merchan- dise is picked up; police advise. necessary cars and buses on the roads. CRD project manager Gerard Farry said a recent study favored light rail service from the Western Communities into Victoria and to UVic. The study said light rail would consume agricultural land and green space on the Peninsula, noted Farry. However, he said the transporta- tion strategy team will assess light rail and other modes of transporta- tion for the area. “There’s no reason why we can’t test those out,” he said. Ron Drolet, of B.C. Transit, added the problem with popula- tion density on the Peninsula “‘is that it’s in lumps.” He said growth is scattered and for now, the area might be better served with buses as the means of public transportation. When there is enough demand, and when the people become more conditioned to using public transportation instead of their cars, more buses can be added and routes can be altered, he said. He said this is a more cost efficient alternative at the moment than light rail transit. TODAY'S | j REAL ESTATE 5 srt Arlene Davidsen Ea ARE YOUR BUYERS BEING UNREASONABLE? You and the buyers for your home have had a meeting of the minds, and you thought your agreements were reflected in the paperwork both parties signed. Then it seemed like the buyers got a little crazy, making unreasonable demands over and above what you agreed to in the contract. It’s important to remember that people are rarely at their best when they're buying a house. They may be suffering from “Buyers Remorse”, that intense feeling that they've paid too much and as soon as they own your house it’s going to fall down. 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