1.     Are you aware that residents in the Dean Park neighbourhood have complained for years about vehicles exceeding the speed limits, particularly on Dean Park Road and East Saanich Road, and that police enforcement has not helped?    Yes__x___    No______

The mayor has given this background with the painted yellow line.  Council has not been given a recent update on Dean Park’s speeding issues regarding policing. 

2.     Are you willing to work with Council, District of North Saanich staff and ‘People for a Pedestrian-Friendly Dean Park’ to come up with solutions to the problem?

Yes____x__            No___________

As well as higher levels of government and other stakeholders/partners for funding or in-kind contributions if costly.

 

3.     Do  you agree that political leaders have a responsibility to help make neighbourhoods pedestrian-friendly?  Yes__x_   No_________

Very Much So!  I would like to see all our neighbourhoods walk-able and linked with trails, paths, walkways etc.    throughout attractive residential and rural areas, interspersed with green space, playgrounds, rest spots (for dogs too), benches, view scapes, heritage sites, points of interest, art studios and/or public art,  flower plantings and hedgerows in appropriate areas.

Aesthetically pleasing places to walk encourages more residents to support a pedestrian friendly neighbourhood and political leaders should indeed support these projects for a healthy and safe community.

4.     Would you support the following ideas to calm traffic and increase safety for pedestrians in Dean Park?

 

a.            Sidewalks on Dean Park Road?

Yes___x          No_____

 

b.            Narrowing of Dean Park Road (narrow roads discourage speeding)

Yes__x__        No_____

I have noticed that the “pinch points” at the school are very effective.

c.            A sidewalk on the east side of East Saanich Road?

Yes____x____      No________

I believe we have embarked on the bike route lanes along East Saanich to the school – must check on this progress.

d.            Speed bumps on some roads

Yes___x___    No_______

I would like to see all of these if financially possible – this is where we need to get creative with our funding and the “buy-in” from residents.

Council receives a variety of grant opportunities regularly offered by higher levels of government and I think we should be more pro-active in pursuing these grants for “green” and beautification projects which include infrastructure to create pedestrian friendly neighbourhoods.

e.            A crosswalk at the bottom of Dean Park Road to allow people, particularly those catching a bus, to safely cross East Saanich Road?

Yes ___x____      No_________

 

5.     What other ideas do you have to calm traffic?  We need

 to generate human relationships as well as political and financial relationships to communicate   “the sense of place” which will be designed by your Dean Park pedestrian group.

This “sense of place” will reflect the Dean Park residents’  ideas that make their neighbourhood unique – their vision of a pedestrian and aesthetically friendly place to walk and relax.

 (see some ideas above in question 3 – these are only ideas, not all necessarily reflective of Dean Park of course).

A pro-active campaign to involve the neighbourhood should be embarked upon.

This could include public awareness and education of the importance and fun of getting outdoors and walking, saving fuel etc.and encouraging stewardship (taking care of and involving oneself) in designing and caring for your pedestrian neighbourhood – even if it’s an attractive flower bed at the entrance or in the middle of a traffic island, public pride and involvement is essential.

How about a sign at the entrance of Dean Park which says something like, “Welcome to Dean Park - a pedestrian friendly neighbourhood . . .”

We must generate respect from drivers in our neighbourhoods and change the public mind set from rushing and speeding to respecting the neighbourhood and slowing down.

 Then we embark on the political and financial part, supported by an enthusiastic neighbourhood with a plan of ideas and design.  The municipal engineer would contribute to the infrastructure plan.  The Parks Commission may have input if any trail links or bike paths are involved.

 

Council pursues grants and in-kind contributions and looks at other ways of generating funds.

 

6.     How often do you walk or run for leisure, fitness or to commute?

Daily____x___                A couple times a week________           

A couple times a month_____                       Rarely________