Letter: BC & Nelson Transit — Return Mall bus stop to Save-On-Foods
By Letters to the editor
To The Editor:
To: BC Transit and Nelson Transit
Subject: Concerns with the bus stop at Chahko Mika Mall
This is a letter of great concern that I and many others who are regular riders have for where the bus stop got moved to during the paving of the parking lot.
I don’t know if it’s Nelson Transit or BC Transit office or a combination of both who want the stop to be left where it is right now but it’s definitely a dangerous and unsafe place for a permanent stop.
- It’s right at a three-way intersection at the corner of Walmart’s garden center and even though there’s a sign that’s been put up telling people to not go around the bus when it’s stopped, people in personal vehicles still go around the bus. There’s going to be an accident happen if that stop is permanent.
- Getting up and down the curb that’s there is hard at the best of times for seniors and those with any type of disability or visual impairment. With the weather coming in to winter, it has already been icy from the stop to the mall sidewalk and there are those who have slipped on the ice today that was in front of the gate for the garden centre.
- Add to that there’s a tree right in front of where the bench is. Even if the bench is moved further from the stop sign, people with walkers and buggies have to walk on the road itself to get around to the mall sidewalk. This just adds to a dangerous area for a bus stop.
- There’s definitely insufficient lighting in that area. It’s around the corner and out of the main sight of the front of the mall. I know I would be really nervous if I had to wait for a bus there after dark.
One suggestion I have to get the stop moved back to Save On Foods is to have the bus route back to Lakeside Drive, turn right at the start of mall parking lot and turn left to go down the front of the mall over the speed bumps.
It went that way years ago and there were never any problems. Going that way also eliminates the “lollipop” the bus is having to do now and would likely take about the same amount of time.
When the bus routes back through the mall on it’s return trip to downtown, it could go the same way. I realize going over speed bumps isn’t great but it’s a much better possibility than keeping the stop outside of Walmart’s garden centre.
All the regular riders I have overheard and talked to want the stop to go back to Save On. The people in the mall office want the stop moved back to Save On.
Save On wants the stop moved back to Save On.
Even some of the employees of the mall itself want the stop moved back.
Please, please, please get the stop moved back to Save On Foods end of the mall. It is just such a ridiculous place to have it where it is right now.
Sincerely,
Jill Wilson
Nelson, BC
