This week the Prince George Citizen will be posting a six-part series: Six Questions for Six Mayoral Candidates.
The focus of the series is to allow voters to hear from the candidates running for mayor on how they would handle real issues which will be coming before the next city council. The candidate’s answers have only been edited for clarity, and are posted in alphabetical order.
QUESTION: A proposal to dedicate the area known as Ginter’s Meadow as park land will be discussed as part of the city’s overhaul of the official community plan in 2023. Designating the land as a park would mean scrapping proposed extensions of Foothills Boulevard and Massey Drive. How will you balance the desire of park users to keep the park, against the needs of the city to address traffic congestion?
ADAM HYATT
I don’t believe there is a serious traffic congestion issue in Prince George, nor do I anticipate one in the foreseeable future. Ginter’s Meadow is a highly used greenspace and I support keeping it that way.
TERRI McCONNACHIE
The plans to extend Foothills and Massey has been on the books forever and I look forward to exploring opportunities to alleviate (far in the future) traffic safety options and embrace public green space such as Ginter’s Meadow, to find a win-win, when the OCP is on deck in 2023.
There are residents that are concerned on both sides, and everyone needs the opportunity to voice them.
LISA MITCHELL
Mitchell did not respond to the Citizen’s request for comment as of Friday afternoon. This story will be updated, should Mitchell respond at a later date.
ROY STEWART
I favour having Ginter’s meadow as a park. Green space is a vital component for liveability in this City. Extension of existing road networks should not be allowed to destroy the Ginter’s meadow parkland.
CHRIS WOOD
Traffic congestion will be solved by two-laning Tyner Boulevard, when the traffic reaches 12,000-15,000 a day, which is expected to happen in about 10 years.
SIMON YU
I do not support the extension of Foothills Boulevard to Massey Drive.
If a transportation study is conducted and states we should do otherwise, we may need to look at other innovative ways to improve the current 18th Avenue transportation corridor, including barrier-free sidewalks that links Ospika and Foothills.
We live amidst some of the best natural beauty in the world, and we must carefully and responsibly consider the best interests of all our two-legged and four-legged citizens.
I encourage our community to have their voice heard and participate in the 2023 official community plan (OCP) review to ensure city council has broad and inclusive input from our citizens that including considerations for our pets and wildlife needs. Reducing the number of bears to be shot each year within our city is also an important goal in the upcoming OCP review.
