WERA General
Meeting of September 26, 2017
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Meeting
commenced: 7:02 p.m.
Chair: Elmer
Rudolph; Recorder: Gavin McLeod
Number of
attendees: 7
Approval
of minutes of previous meetings: Motion to approve minutes of March, moved by
Gavin McLeod seconded by Mary Wilson.
Additional Agenda Items: Emergency Preparedness
meeting in the Anvil Centre; Beautifying New Westminster, one place at a time.
Report on Residents’
Association Forum of September 13, 2017 (Elmer Rudolph): The main topic at the
meeting was to discuss financial assistance to the Resident’s Associations in
New Westminster. Some RAs pay for web pages which incur additional costs. Three
alternatives were proposed, a flat yearly subsidy, pay by submission of expense
receipts or a mixture with a flat rate plus by receipt if flat rate is
exceeded. A flat dispensation of $200 was suggested. Council will discuss this
further. There was a suggestion that each RA could have a website hosted by the
city, that will be taken to the technology staff at the city. There were some
complaints about proposed high rises adjacent to the 22nd Street
Skytrain station.
Large trucks rat running
in the West End on Eighteenth (Elmer Rudolph/ Gavin McLeod): Around September 8th
Elmer received reports about large dump trucks running up Eighteenth Street.
Elmer reported the incident, it appears to have been a temporary condition as
there have not been any recent observations.
Report on Neighbourhood
Traffic Advisor Committee Meeting (Gavin McLeod): Lisa LeBlanc asked for
and received input on how to proceed toward long-term goals involving
transportation. There will be in increase in electrical vehicles requiring
charging stations. The city is working with BCIT to install charging stations
on a test basis. A local resident is working on a plan to provide charging
stations subsidized by advertising. Although traffic will increase the city is
not prepared to accommodate the increase and does not plan to accommodate an
increase. Self driving cars are coming and car sharing has arrived. There is a
new government might result in a change in current planning including the
Pattullo bridge and the proposed changes to the Brunette interchange.
Reports by Mary Wilson on
ActBiPed meeting and River Drive crossing, Tenth Ave crossing and city’s new
snow removal plan:
The Stewardson way crossing is not dead but details are not available. An at
grade crossing would be cheaper but has problems, an above grade crossing would
be better but would be more expensive. Council will discuss it a closed
session. There will be a Tenth Ave. corridor study. A crossing at Eighteenth would
be desirable. The current snow/ ice plan was created in 2009 due to heavy
snowfall and complaints. Pedestrian priority and bike lanes have necessitated a
new plan. A consultant was hire to create a plan. The report is 66 pages long.
The report will go to council. Mary has concerns about the report. The city
focuses on having a bylaw but not on enforcement. Mary also commented on the
focus on clearing the streets for cars but not the sidewalks for pedestrians.
The consultant suggested that the city could clean the sidewalks. Bike lanes
will be cleaned by the city.
Community Policing
Committee Report (Gavin McLeod):
Crime reports are down in New Westminster except in Queensborough where reports
are up by 5%. The only crime category that increased was Break and Enters with
an increase of 5%.
Emergency Preparedness
Meeting in Anvil Centre (Gavin McLeod):
The meeting was poorly attended. One suggestion offered by the city
representative was for people to use Wi-Fi hot spots during an emergency but if
power is out Wi-Fi would not be working. One person asked about emergency
sheltering at city facilities but the response was that the city would not
allow that due to considerations of liability.
Beautifying New
Westminster, one place at a time (Mary Wilson): The West End Fire Hall
on 13th was turned into a blank canvas for a mural, Mary Trentadue
and Nadine Nakagawa organized the event and were assisted by more than 100
community members.
Meeting
Adjourned: 20:13
Next
meeting: Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday November 28, 2017 at Unity in Action
Church from 7 pm to 9 pm.
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