Sproat Lake residents are protesting a proposed bus service from the city, saying it would only be used by criminals and homeless people to expand their reach out to the rural area.
More than 250 people have signed an online petition, and many have commented on the need to contain criminals to the city.
At this weeks meeting of the regional district, Sproat Lake area director Penny Cote said the bus is a bad idea.
“I have received a lot of grief over this recommendation,” she said. “There’s a perceived notion that this will be a city bus that comes out to Sproat Lake to bring whatever criminal element wants to come out.”
Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions fought back against the accusations made against the city.
“I was really dissappointed to see an online petition going around and the comments that were included in it,” she said. “To me it read ‘we don’t want people in poverty coming out to our lake'”.
Cote said she was also disappointed by some of the comments online, and recommended more community consultations and a communications plan before any further board discussions on expanding bus services to rural areas of the valley.
https://www.change.org/p/acrd-residents-stop-bc-transit-bus-route-to-sproat-lake
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