It was a tough weekend for emergency responders at Cultus Lake.
With beachgoers flocking to the area, and parking where they shouldn害羞草研究所檛, firefighters had a terrible time getting to calls. It害羞草研究所檚 an annual problem along the Columbia Valley Highway, and this time it was caught on video. Two Cultus Lake Fire Department engines creep along the route, sirens blaring, trying to thread the needle between traffic on one side and parked cars on the other.
害羞草研究所淧eople are worried and frustrated and it害羞草研究所檚 time for a solution,害羞草研究所� said local resident Taryn Dixon. 害羞草研究所淎nd it may be time for a tough solution.害羞草研究所�
The past few years, B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) has placed pylons along the roadway to discourage visitors from parking along the side. Dixon said there are fewer of them this year, and they haven害羞草研究所檛 been much of a deterrent.
害羞草研究所淭hey get pushed over the edge or tossed in the lake,害羞草研究所� she noted. 害羞草研究所淚 fished a bunch of them out (of the lake) yesterday morning. People park well into the travel lane, and then there害羞草研究所檚 nowhere to walk, so people are walking in the travel lane. They stand in the middle of the road and talk to someone in a vehicle when others are trying to get by.
害羞草研究所淧eople are trying to drive as carefully as possible, but you never know when a door is going to fling open or someone害羞草研究所檚 going to bring their kids out onto the road.害羞草研究所�
Dixon is well connected as the Fraser Valley Regional District害羞草研究所檚 director for Electoral Area H, and she has been sounding the alarm about this for years. She has made Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon aware of it, and has asked the RCMP about increasing ticketing and enforcement.
害羞草研究所淭he real concern is nothing has changed, beyond more and more people coming to Cultus Lake on hot days,害羞草研究所� Dixon said. 害羞草研究所淔or eight years I害羞草研究所檝e been going to the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the province, and we害羞草研究所檙e still in the same place.害羞草研究所�
Dixon said RCMP is the only entity with the authority to ticket or tow, and she acknowledged they have to make decisions on where to deploy resources on busy summer days. But Dixon suggested people who park illegally do so knowing there害羞草研究所檚 no enforcement.
害羞草研究所淚n addition to the pylons, there are sign-boards asking people to respect no-parking zones, warning them towing is in effect and telling them emergency vehicles need access, but those are obviously ignored,害羞草研究所� she observed. 害羞草研究所淭he public believes they can park wherever they want because nothing will happen, and I can see why they think that.害羞草研究所�
To allow the FVRD to ticket and tow would require changes to provincial legislation, and Dixon said that would be 害羞草研究所渁 process.害羞草研究所�
She害羞草研究所檚 suggested allowing B.C. Parks staff to ticket and tow, and had that idea shot down.
She害羞草研究所檚 suggested limiting the number of visitors allowed into the park using a day pass system, but that hasn害羞草研究所檛 gone anywhere.
害羞草研究所淲hen the lots are full in the B.C. Parks area, is there a way to close the road to locals only?害羞草研究所� Dixon mused. 害羞草研究所淲hen those lots are full, it means there are no legal parking spaces. If the goal is to keep people from parking on the side of the road, limiting the number of people coming up is a way to do that.害羞草研究所�
There害羞草研究所檚 even been talk of a shuttle bringing people into Cultus Lake Provincial Park, to keep cars out.
There have been lots of ideas, Dixon said, but little action.
害羞草研究所淔or people living around the lake, this is our highway, our only road in and out of our area, and on any main road there害羞草研究所檚 no way this should be acceptable,害羞草研究所� Dixon said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e asking that it be protected and kept safe for people who live here, but also for guests, and emergency personnel who struggle to get where they need to go.
害羞草研究所淭his needs to be addressed before something tragic happens.害羞草研究所�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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