Correspondence: Email from Ronald and Juliana Polstein

FW: Proposed changes to Hallowell Road

From: Polstein
Sent: June-16-15 1:14 PM
To: Mayor And Council Email
Subject: Proposed changes to Hallowell Road

We have recently received a letter from the Town of View Royal inviting us to an Open House at the Town Hall today. We plan to attend that meeting, but we are unable to attend the View Royal Council meeting this evening at which this matter may be discussed. Therefore, we are writing to you to inform you of our concerns about the proposed changes.

We are opposed to the proposed changes to Hallowell Road which will permit heavy trucks to make unlimited use of the lower portion of Hallowell Road. The View Royal Official Community Plan (OCP) as it applies to the Thetis Cove Neighbourhood Centre (pages 22 and 54 of the OCP) states that the area "will be a predominately residential development with supporting commercial uses, and a new public park and shoreline access." The OCP policy foresees "a mixture of commercial uses that provide employment opportunities and add vibrancy to the area." There is nothing in the proposed changes to Hallowell Road that enhances the residential development of the area or that adds to the vibrancy of the area. Heavy trucks, and dirty, noisy cement and gravel businesses do not enhance the area.

The CRD, with the apparent support of the View Royal Town Council, wants a way of completing the E&N Rail Trail. Apparently the CRD and View Royal Town Council see no problem in sacrificing the property values of the residential owners on Hallowell Road, or decreasing the quality of their daily lives, in order to achieve this rather round about completion route of the E&N Rail Trail. It appears from the correspondence sent that the View Royal Town Council is willing ignore the needs of the residents of Hallowell Road, as well as the owners and residents on Aldersmith Place, in order "to collaborate with both Esquimalt Nation and the CRD and to begin relationship and trust building."

The proposed extension of the E&N Rail Trail up Hallowell Road and then along Admirals Road will not provide a significant improvement to the current route, as it will follow the route that bicyclists must take. The statement that the CRD included with their information that if the trail were to be connected between Hallowell Road and Maplebank Road as many as a 1000 daily commuter car trips destined for DND could be converted to bike trips is a truly laughable statement. Check the morning and evening commute and you will see that 80% or more of the commuters are one person vehicles. Individuals who are unwilling to car pool are not likely to abandon their cars for bicycles.

RALMAX is a big business, and growing. While we appreciate the new trucks that they bought after buying Trio, eliminating the air pollution from the fumes of the older trucks, it is likely that RALMAX will continue to grow their business and that the volume of truck traffic will increase on Admirals Road. The dust and particulate from the Trio operation that we have experienced in the years we have lived on Aldersmith Place will only get worse with the expansion of the Trio operations, and with the proposed use of Hallowell Road by heavy trucks. This air pollution represents a significant health issue, particularly to the many elderly residents of the entire area including the Esquimalt Nation.

We will appreciate your acknowledgement of the receipt of this correspondence.

Ronald and Juliana Polstein
29-108 Aldersmith Place