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Consequences to pedestrian bridge

"...if the walking bridge becomes the reality, I feel there must be some plan in place to remove the old bridge."

As a young parent, I was encouraged to teach my children that they had to accept the consequences of their actions.

We have seen this lately in that when Canada imposes travel bans on certain Russian citizens, they retaliate by banning our agricultural products. We are being encouraged (almost bullied) by Trail City Hall to vote Yes in the upcoming referendum for the walking bridge.

I agree that there needs to be some sort of structure there across the river. However, if the walking bridge becomes the reality, I feel there must be some plan in place to remove the old bridge. If there is a new walking bridge built that we hope will help to showcase our city, the deterioration and collapse of the old bridge would certainly become an eyesore as well as an environmental catastrophe.

There must be a plan in place to remove the old bridge before it becomes our tailings-pond disaster. City Hall has a responsibility to inform the public of these costs and plan to remove the old bridge before asking us to support the walking bridge.

As well, we are told by City Hall that the walking bridge, if acted upon at this time, will not impact our local tax bills. The funds will come from the Provincial Gas Tax fund and from regional funds.

Do we not all pay into those funds? Those are our tax dollars that in a round-about-way are going to fund this walking bridge. As well, the cost of the walking bridge has gone up because of the tax dollars that have been used by the city to produce glossy brochures to promote the walking bridge, electronic advertising at the arena, and displays at the market etc.

This walking bridge impacts us in many ways and we will all have to deal with the consequences.

Arlene Champman

Trail