The story so far: the CBRA has complimented some aspects of the new sidewalk plan proposed by Saanich Municipality for the Cadboro Bay village. However, CBRA and a number of affected residents have also asked that Saanich address some related issues that the Sidewalk Plan either exacerbates or ignores. These include pedestrian safety and excessive traffic flow on Penrhyn street, and the need to find solutions for growing parking pressures on Cadboro Bay Road and other streets close to the village.
Following the board’s most recent meeting, Eric Dahli, Chair, has written to Saanich as follows:
Dear Ivan,
The board of Cadboro Bay Residents’ Association has now had an opportunity to review your response of November 23rd to our comments on the Cadboro Bay Village sidewalk plan.Thank you for forwarding the petition and comments regarding Upper and Lower Penrhyn to the Engineering Department for further consideration. We look forward to hearing the results of this assessment.
Regarding the sidewalk plan’s impacts on parking availability, we note your comments on the need for clear sight-lines and traffic lanes on Cadboro Bay road. Nonetheless, solutions do need to be found for the increased parking crunch that will result if the Starbucks block sidewalk is widened in conjunction with other upcoming developments. Delivery vehicles, gardening trucks and peak-hour coffee drinkers will continue to arrive on Cadboro Bay road. In the absence of a bus service up Sinclair hill, many shoppers will continue to drive to the village. The completion of the Abstract condo will attract more visitors (parking was the most contentious issue at the hearings) and further development is proposed on Penrhyn Street.
With that in mind, CBRA reiterates its request for Saanich staff to undertake technical analysis now to consider the interrelated impacts of traffic, land use and transportation for all streets close to the Cadboro Bay village core. Doing this ahead of time would assist not only in making final decisions on the new sidewalk and Penrhyn street but also on pathway planning up Sinclair and proposed new residential developments close to the village and park.
Yours truly,
Eric Dahli, Chair
Cadboro Bay Residents Association
