Email feedback from my last interview

Your interview on TV the other night both inspired me and angered me....

 You are a wonderful person.  You are helping others, have such a positive attitude and are just trying to do the best you can.

 I wish I could say the same about our City.  Timing is everything...we were just notified that our aging sidewalks are due to be replaced.  However, this is the process the City has recently established.

 - The City selects 3-6 neighbourhoods each year for “renewal” (100 of the 300 neighbourhoods have been identified as being in need of complete replacement)

- Property owners are then informed that they are to pay 50% of the renewal cost.  (Reduction curbs would be  included in the project)

-The Property then vote on whether to pay the cost of the new sidewalks.  (average 50 ft lot would cost $3,242.92)

- If 51% petition against it, the project is cancelled.  The sidewalks are then temporarily repaired and the curb reductions do not get done.  

- If the owners can afford to pay, the sidewalk & curb reductions get done.

 I am astonished that the decision to replace Edmonton’s sidewalks/curbs is up to the property owners of the neighbourhoods and whether they can financially afford to do so.  I am from BC and cities there maintain & replace all their sidewalks on a regular basis and with no extra costs to the property owners.  In the last 20 years Edmonton has upgraded 30 neighbourhoods through this process.  That works out to 1.5 per year.  In 2009 a dedicated property tax of 1.5% was established for “Neighbourhood Renewal Projects.”  My question is, how much money do they need to finally make our sidewalks safe to travel on?

 I am meeting with City Hall and possibly our MLA today to ask some tough questions.  I will use the term “gross negligence”.  They have identified 100 neighbourhoods (plus how many business/park/public areas) of being in need of total replacement but do not have a proper plan in place.   After watching your broadcast I am amazed that you have not injured yourself yet.    

 You have given me the desire to push this matter even more.  I plan on finding out what the City’s mandate is on curb reductions and I will be asking until I get some answers.

 Did Rick Hansen not teach us anything!



Keep up the good work & safe travels Timothy!