Editor: Dear Mayor Borrowman and Canmore council
I would like to take a moment of your time to make the following points concerning your plans to create a high density housing project in our park.
This project seems to be moving forward with incredible haste and the following concerns should be considered and budgeted for in advance of any large developments proposed in Larch Park and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Plans must be considered to manage the 100-plus cars that will now be travelling Larch Avenue, 11th and 15th (Lions Park). Traffic lights are long overdue at the railway crossing, and your high density proposal will affect the flow of traffic for everyone that uses Larch Avenue and all of its arteries.
It is not unusual to see traffic backed up to the high school on a good day without exacerbating the problem with trains, and the effect of an enormous number of additional vehicles should this development proceed.
The congestion and creative driving which occurs with the arrival of a train should be reviewed and dealt with.
Plans must ensure the parking area being proposed for all of our Larch rink users will not become overflow parking for residents and their visitors.
Safety measures must be in place to protect the 30 (plus) children who live in the Woodlands housing development. I would like to emphasize that these kids play in the most Canadian way possible, which is unstructured and imaginary play that often includes activities on and across the street.
Importantly, any and all plans need to be vetted with the neighbourhoods affected financially and emotionally by your decisions.
These issues need to be considered and dealt with prior to any proposal to develop this or any other neighbourhood park.
Wendy Johnson,
Canmore
