10-26-2016, 07:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-26-2016, 07:18 AM by Pheidippides.)
I attended the Iron Horse central section consultation last tonight. It was a busy crowd early on, I can't speak to how busy it was later.
The materials should be online soon. I'm not sure why they could not have put them online beforehand so people could read them and come with their questions. Instead, everyone has to digest everything on the fly and staff end up having to re-iterate and answer the same questions over and over for things that are already answered in the materials already. It is a very inefficient use of time especially when it was a limited time period of two hours.
There were two proposed paths for the bridge over the creek near Henry Sturm greenway; apparently it needs to be replaced regardless of which route is picked.
The proposed new connection to Victoria Park looks pretty good, as does the new wayfinding signage.
The proposed changes to the existing connection to Victoria Park looks pretty good too.
The proposed change to the crossing at Victoria/West is uninspiring.
A lot of people were complaining about the loss of vegetation along the route between Gage and Glasgow, but that was out of scope last night.
I think the City of Kitchener could have handled the changes to that stretch a little better. I'm glad that 137 Glasgow is re-orienting the building and making the connection to the trail, but there should have been more communication about the changes that are coming. You wouldn't change a road intersection without engaging the community and this should be no different. The city could have saved themselves a lot of grief because people last night were upset about the loss of vegetation without understanding there was an unhealthy balance of species and invasive species along that stretch, some widening and repaving, and that a new connection that is being added to the trail. All they see is huge swaths of vegetation being ripped out and don't see the bigger picture of replanted trees and an improved trail (and amenities).
Further to that, the city could do a better job of marking off their work areas and cleaning up after themselves. I used that section last week knowing full well and being prepared that I may have to detour around for the intermittent and temporary closures along that stretch, but when I got to Gage there was no sign indicating closure or detour so I kept going. I got about halfway to Glasgow and had to slow to a crawl to avoid trucks and a backhoe. A city worker then chastised me and warned me in a condescending voice, "You're going to get hurt" (maybe it was a threat?). As if it was my fault that they did not mark off and secure their work site properly before starting their work with heavy machinery. I told him there was no signage, so how are users to know to go around. He said the signage hadn't arrived yet and I should turn around anyway. On the return trip home I had to slow, not for work being done, but for the large amount of debris left on the trail and sticking out from the edges.
The materials should be online soon. I'm not sure why they could not have put them online beforehand so people could read them and come with their questions. Instead, everyone has to digest everything on the fly and staff end up having to re-iterate and answer the same questions over and over for things that are already answered in the materials already. It is a very inefficient use of time especially when it was a limited time period of two hours.
There were two proposed paths for the bridge over the creek near Henry Sturm greenway; apparently it needs to be replaced regardless of which route is picked.
The proposed new connection to Victoria Park looks pretty good, as does the new wayfinding signage.
The proposed changes to the existing connection to Victoria Park looks pretty good too.
The proposed change to the crossing at Victoria/West is uninspiring.
A lot of people were complaining about the loss of vegetation along the route between Gage and Glasgow, but that was out of scope last night.
I think the City of Kitchener could have handled the changes to that stretch a little better. I'm glad that 137 Glasgow is re-orienting the building and making the connection to the trail, but there should have been more communication about the changes that are coming. You wouldn't change a road intersection without engaging the community and this should be no different. The city could have saved themselves a lot of grief because people last night were upset about the loss of vegetation without understanding there was an unhealthy balance of species and invasive species along that stretch, some widening and repaving, and that a new connection that is being added to the trail. All they see is huge swaths of vegetation being ripped out and don't see the bigger picture of replanted trees and an improved trail (and amenities).
Further to that, the city could do a better job of marking off their work areas and cleaning up after themselves. I used that section last week knowing full well and being prepared that I may have to detour around for the intermittent and temporary closures along that stretch, but when I got to Gage there was no sign indicating closure or detour so I kept going. I got about halfway to Glasgow and had to slow to a crawl to avoid trucks and a backhoe. A city worker then chastised me and warned me in a condescending voice, "You're going to get hurt" (maybe it was a threat?). As if it was my fault that they did not mark off and secure their work site properly before starting their work with heavy machinery. I told him there was no signage, so how are users to know to go around. He said the signage hadn't arrived yet and I should turn around anyway. On the return trip home I had to slow, not for work being done, but for the large amount of debris left on the trail and sticking out from the edges.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.