The removal of the gate at the west end of 99 Street between the street and Mountie Park is proving to be an unnecessarily controversial move.
While its removal during construction of the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre was expected, and accepted by the residents along the west end of the street, the fact the gate is now permanently is upsetting.
The gate dates back nearly 20 years when residents asked it to be installed to curb the number of drivers using 99 Street as a drag strip, according to a letter penned by Alan Watt and addressed to mayor Bruce Lennon. In it, Watt questions why the gate has been removed, what can or will be done to control traffic on the street, and why there seems to have been no consultation about removing the gate.
And that begs the question — why had there not been any consultation?
If area residents had requested it to be installed years ago, there was clearly a reason. That its removal is sparking the same concerns as existed back then, it’s clearly evident the gate had achieved the goals the residents sought.
So to remove it without making that intention known is just a bad move all around.
And beyond that, taking it down and not immediately putting in place some new means of controlling traffic along 99 Street is not the way to engender goodwill from residents who already had to put up with distractions and hardship during the Spirit Centre’s construction. In short, the gate’s removal is hurting the town’s image when compared to the goodwill gesture of forgiving water and sewer bills for those residents most affected by construction.
When compared, it’s incongruous seeing the town apologize for the inconvenience caused by a construction project while at the same time potentially endangering residents through dismantling what turned out to be a safety mechanism.
Thankfully, the town is now planning to embark on making 99 Street safer while keeping Mountie Park access off 99 Street open.
With speed bumps and stop signs on the table, along with the stated intention of getting the residents’ input on the new measures, there’s time to undo the negative feelings the initial act created.
