With the exception of Mayor Larry Jangula, members of Courtenay council approved a $25,000 expenditure to pay for surveying and other initial costs for a sidewalk on Lake Trail Road. The money will come from gaming funds.
Council made the decision Monday at committee of the whole. The previous Monday, a group of students from Arden Elementary appeared before council to appeal for a sidewalk and bike lanes on Lake Trail Road.
Jangula is concerned when items are pushed to the top of the list while other requests wait in the queue. He notes a mother of three children in the Valley View neighbourhood who has been waiting years for a sidewalk, but was told there was no money for the project.
He also feels this isn’t the best use of gaming funds.
“Because we have these gaming funds it’s almost like it’s a slush fund and we’re going to use if for whatever we feel like,” Jangula said. “I think the whole process was rushed, premature and basically doesn’t fall in the normal criteria of getting things done. Who’s going to be opposed to a sidewalk at a school? No one. It’s the process I’m talking about.”
Couns. Doug Hillian, Manno Theos, Bob Wells, David Frisch and Erik Eriksson support the expenditure. Rebecca Lennox was absent Monday.