CMRC Fire Lane to close May 31st

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

Ongoing issues with speeding and dangerous driving has resulted in several close calls and near misses between Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex users and vehicles speeding through the parking lots and fire lane which runs along the east side of the Complex between the pool area and the Senior’s Centre. As a result the fire lane access will be permanently closed to public traffic effective May 31st, 2012.

This fire lane is frequently used as a shortcut between 7th Avenue and Proctor Street by vehicles not accessing the Complex, and these vehicles tend to travel at high speed and are not driving appropriately for the amount of pedestrian traffic in the area, especially in the winter months. It is estimated that well over 100 vehicles a day, that are not accessing the Complex or its rental parking, use this route as a shortcut, often weaving around the speed bumps and concrete barriers as well as cutting through designated parking and pedestrian areas. Reports of pedestrians and vehicles accessing the Complex almost being struck by this type of traffic have grown substantially over the past few years.

Attempts to address the situation without closing the lane access by adding speed bumps, signage, metal bollards, cement barriers and other measures have been instituted over the past year but these have done little to curb the problem.

Signage will be going up shortly at the 7th Ave entrance to the rear Complex parking lot and in the front CMRC parking lot to warn users of the pending closure date. On the date of closure the large metal gate will be locked and the lane will only be accessible by emergency vehicles. The gate will be open during events at the Complex to allow access to the rear parking lot, but will be closed immediately following the events.

“The amount of vehicles that use this shortcut, and the speed at which they drive through it, must be addressed. Many of these vehicles completely disregard safe speed limits, marked routes through the lots, and also ignore high volume pedestrian areas,” says Councillor Laurie Walters, Chair of the Community Services Committee which oversees the Complex. “Safety of persons using the Complex and its amenities is of primary importance to us. We regret having to close this lane access but all other attempts to slow traffic have failed.

“We recognize this will be a minor inconvenience to some Complex customers, but we feel the added safety benefit that will result from the change more than makes up for this.”