More than 100 people attended a meeting at Centennial Hall Thursday between city officials and Richmond Street business owners concerned about the city’s rapid transit plan.
The $560-million BRT plan would include high-frequency buses running on L and seven shaped routes bisecting London, potentially affecting merchants along proposed routes.
The two-hour meeting that dragged on to three hours gave business owners a platform, spewing concerns regarding bus ridership and parking spots, and especially tunnel construction.
“This construction is way more invasive,” said Mike Smith, owner of Joe Kool’s pub, of the proposed tunnel under Richmond Street. It will carry buses near St. Joseph’s Hospital, through Western University and eventually making its way to Masonville Place mall.
“It will devastate Richmond row. Everything will close on that street. They cannot survive being closed that long. It’ll be almost five years.”
Another option would avoid Richmond Street by using Wharncliffe Road as a major route for the tunnel. Regardless of the decision, Martin Hayward, acting city manager, said the city is looking to support businesses to reduce the impact of construction.
“I don’t think you’ll get 100 per cent agreement but certainly we can make things run a lot better in terms of community with one another and attempting to understand each other’s positions,” said Hayward.
Hayward asked if they wanted BRT put on hold following a speaker request. Nearly everyone raised their hand.
Mayor Matt Brown reminded Londoners the importance of sharing and listening to concerns at the beginning of the meeting. He didn’t stay for the entire meeting – a fact that wasn’t missed by many in the room.
Councillors Phil Squire, Tanya Park and Jesse Helmer were also at the meeting – a tension point for many who were upset with the low city hall representation.
“It was disturbing to think the others couldn’t be bothered,” Smith said. “That they made up their minds and didn’t want to listen. That’s what’s really, really important.”
Squire, who co-planned a meeting with Park for Londoners at the Wolf Performance Hall April 12, said people are raising legitimate concerns that need to be considered at council.
“People really did know what they were talking about,” he said. “This wasn’t a meeting where (people) were just angry and yelling. This was a meeting where people really wanted to get information and they came prepared.”
Council will decide Tuesday whether to look into alternate routes or move forward with the plan. A public participation meeting on bus rapid transit is being planned for May.
Last week, city staff held a similar meeting with King Street businesses who shared concerns regarding traffic near Budweiser Gardens, among others.
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