Editor:
My husband and I have lived in Sechelt for over 25 years and have enjoyed living on the Coast. We drive a van, to accommodate mobility problems, and need parking close to the restaurants and shops we frequent. The recent roadwork in downtown Sechelt, with protruding sidewalk extensions, has removed parking spaces and, at corners, the sidewalk extensions actually make it difficult to turn a van onto a street without scraping the tires on the sidewalk.
It is a positive move to encourage cyclists and pedestrian travel, but the needs of other taxpayers in the community must also be considered.
With a shopping list of items, we drove down Cowrie, on three separate occasions, without finding a parking spot next to the shops. By the fourth time, when I stopped at One-O-One, I had found and bought all the items, except one, at other locations. Online shopping is always another option.
The recent construction of a patio on Cowrie Street adds further congestion to downtown Sechelt, also restricting visibility of the crosswalk. The idea behind the patio is a good one, but seating, in front or on each side of the large planters, and more seating in the green space beside the Sechelt Thrift Store, would be more attractive, more permanent, and provide an all-year restaurant and social solution. It would also be more cost effective, over time.
Helen and Jean-Pierre Desjarlais, Sechelt
