Re: the letter "Sidewalks and bike lanes needed in Sooke," in the Nov. 14 edition. The Little River Crossing (Demamiel Creek Footbridge) project has been in the works for almost 10 years. It was identified as a short-term (0-5 years) "priority trail" in the District of Sooke's 2020 Parks and Trails Master Plan
The district has invested many hours of staff time in the project, as well as several hundred thousand dollars for design and management work by the engineering contractor. The district has also secured almost $2 million in federal and provincial funding commitments for the construction of the project.
None of this investment or funding is transferable to other projects. It would be irresponsible, to say the least, if the district were to abandon its investment in this project, and forgo the federal and provincial funding at this stage. I agree that there is an urgent need to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in Sooke. There has been some progress in recent years, especially along some major routes, but much remains to be done. I welcome specific proposals in this regard.
P. Stokoe
Sooke
