About 50 people gathered this morning in Kitsilano to voice their concerns over the closure of Point Grey Road to commuter traffic.
The route was shut down on Saturday. It is now only open to local traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.
The city says Point Grey Road was never intended to be a commuter route, and the closure completes the Seaside Greenway, a 28-kilometre walking and cycling path around the Seawall.
The Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce is considering its legal options to try and have it reopened.
This morning’s rally was organized by the opposition NPA.
“Point Grey Road is an important street for many reasons,” said George Affleck, Vancouver city councillor, NPA. “First of all, for transit users, for commuters in general, so it’s a street that I think should be for all the citizens of this city. Not just a few. And especially, specifically, not just a lot of Vision supporters.”
One bike rider told Global News this morning he supports the changes because he rides his bike every day to school along that route and it is a dangerous busy road.
Chair of the Committee to Calm Point Grey Road for the Residents of Point Grey, Pamela McColl, said people need to get behind this idea and support it. “And all this NPA silliness, you know it’s just politics, and I think it’s just really unfortunate,” she said.
Many drivers passing by the blocked off area were honking their horns in support of the protest.
Concerned citizen Anita Seymour said “this is certainly a street that I want to be able to drive down and show off the beautiful city to all our friends and relatives from out of town, and just for me.”
Location and expected duration of closures:
West 3rd Avenue at Bayswater Street and Macdonald Street
Start: October 2013
End: mid-January 2014
West 4th Avenue between Stephens Street and Bayswater Street
Start: October 2013
End: Mid-January 2014
West 4th Avenue between Bayswater Street and Macdonald Street
Start: November 2013
End: mid-January 2014
Point Grey Road between Alma Street and Jericho Beach Park
Start: Monday, November 4, 2013
End: February 2014
Point Grey Road conversion to a local street (west of Macdonald Street)
Traffic pattern changes start: Saturday, January 18, 2014
Point Grey Road between Macdonald Street and Bayswater Street
Start: Monday, January 20, 2014
End: June 2014
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