A now paved section of roadway between West Sechelt and the Shores is being used as a racetrack, according to Mason Road resident Jeanine Ellingham.
Ellingham was at the May 22 committee of the whole meeting asking Sechelt council to do something about the vehicles that now travel well in excess of 50 km down her street.
When asked by council what might help, Ellingham suggested speed humps or swales would slow traffic and allow emergency vehicles to travel over them without issue.
"I feel it's a cheap way to save lives," she said, noting many people use the Mason Road stretch of roadway for recreational pursuits like running and biking.
Ellingham said she had collected a total of 211 signatures on a petition calling for speed calming measures to be installed in the area.
Coun. Chris Moore agreed the speeding in the area and lack of shoulder for recreational users is an issue that "needs a plan."
Council asked staff to come back with a report suggesting remedial options for the area.
Grants in-aid
Sechelt found more money for grants in-aid this year by pulling funds from the community crime prevention program reserve and from the Community Projects Inc. dividend paid to the District.
The extra money meant up to $100,000 could be granted to non-profit groups requesting funding this year.
At a regular meeting held May 22, council allocated the majority of that fund to deserving groups.
Of the annual grant requests, Sechelt committed $5,000 to the Sunshine Coast Arts Council for operating assistance, $5,500 to the Sechelt Downtown Business Association (SDBA) to put on Canada Day festivities, $2,000 to the Chatelech Secondary School bursary fund and $5,000 to help fund the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts.
Aside from the Canada Day grant, the SDBA was also granted $8,000 to put on the summer night markets and Christmas festivities in Sechelt.
The largest single grant was given to the Sechelt Outdoor Festival. Council had previously committed $15,000 of grant in-aid to the budding festival that will coincide with the BC Bike Race in July.
Another previous commitment saw them approve $6,000 for the Sunshine Coast Central Baseball League to help pay for fencing costs and to complete a diamond behind Chatelech Secondary School.
Sunshine Coast Com-munity Services Society received $7,000 to help fund a part-time coordinator for the shelter program run through the Homelessness Outreach Project.
St. Hilda's Anglican Church received $2,500 to help pay for a needed roof replacement atop their homeless shelter and the Sunshine Coast Marine Rescue Society was granted $3,000 to help repair their vessel.
Several other grants of $1,500 and less were also handed out.
A total of $72,900 was allocated.
