The debate over proceeding with the Molly Bannister Extension has raised many questions, left many with a feeling of abandonment.

The recent council meeting after decades of consultation, meetings, polls, requests for input, and with the result always being approximately 57% +/- in favor and 43% +/- against, it was brought as “too close to call”, “even split” requiring more input.

Quebec would have separated if it had achieved 50%+1 votes, and the consensus appears to be if the public had been at any time 50%+1 against the bridge, city council would have jumped at it.

Some have stated that they are against the bridge, no matter what. The poor taxpayer has no chance with these politicians. I was at first against the bridge ten years ago, but I have seen the costs and the damage to many lives, especially along 32 St.

The environment has been used as a scapegoat more often than not. Selective environmental concerns, is how I would put it. Where was the environmental concerns when we could have had the whole parcel on condition on keeping it a park or garden? Nowhere to be found.

Where was the environmental concerns in regard to the North-Connector bridge? Nowhere.

The plan would see 700 houses with the bridge or 750 houses without the bridge. How does adding 50 more houses backing onto Piper Creek increase park space?

We are heading into a public meeting where the council seems determined to abolish the bridge. A developer has lots of money and has an opportunity to make millions more. We are just homeowners and taxpayers trying to protect our homes, enjoy our lives and have everything to lose.

The biggest issue is the sense of abandonment by city hall. They seem to be going to extreme measures for this developer. Widening streets, Traffic circles. Pedestrian Bridge over 19 St. Carving up Sunnybrook to make a second entrance/exit point.

Under the pretense of environmentalism; making thousands of people per day drive an extra 4 kilometres, for generations to come. Burning fuel, and emitting carbons into the atmosphere so hikers, bikers and skaters don’t have to use a crosswalk.

How do we, average people, compete with a developer who socializes with planners and politicians? It is obvious that we will lose at the Public Hearing on October 26, or they will move another motion and extend the game.

I think they are counting on voter or taxpayer fatigue. Don’t count on it.

There is a municipal election and we might find it necessary to find candidates who “truly” represent the taxpayers.

Why do they keep attacking our homes? We don’t want millions in profits. We just want to enjoy our homes.

THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people have made their positions clear. 58% said keep the Molly Bannister Extension and 42% said remove it.

Several councillors said it was too close to call. Quebec would have separated from Canada with 50%+1 vote. Councillor Lee asked for a plebiscite to get a clear number.  The Red Deer Advocate did a poll and got the same ratio, again.

The City’s Mayor recused herself because she has a pecuniary interest, good for her. I think there should have been others follow suit after receiving a gift or donation from the developer in the past.

The end of the day, council voted to remove the road allowance and let it go to a public hearing. After thirty years, many votes, hearings, public meetings and thousands of responses even from the college asking that the connection remain it is going to another hearing on October 28.

This appears to be a desperation move to keep the game going until they get the score they need.

They know Sunnybrook is getting hammered by the traffic on 40Ave and by 32 St. which will be expanded to 6 lanes by 2026. Now they are talking about giving the new subdivision of approximately 2,000 residents another exit through Sunnybrook to 32 St. Councillor Handley mentioned it.

Bower subdivision doesn’t want the Molly Bannister Extension because of traffic for a couple of dozen homes on Molly Bannister. The rest of Bower will be on the other side of Bower Mall. The residents on the south side will be hammered by the increased traffic on 19 Street.

Hundreds and hundreds of homes will be getting hit by traffic increases all along 32 St. 19 St. and 40 Ave.

The traffic is bad now and the city has only increased in population by 195 people in five years. We are talking about in the future when our population hits 188,000 then more.

Red Deer College will be a University with a much larger student population traveling to the University on 32 St.

2 more high schools are planned for the east end, a new aquatic centre, twinning the Collicutt in the future. The traffic problems will be enormous.

It has been mentioned that hikers, bikers and skaters would have to use a crosswalk if the bridge is built, and it would only increase driving time by a couple of minutes.

We are talking about thousands upon thousands of drivers driving for a couple of extra minutes, every day. The emissions, from all that extra fuel, burned every day.

Neighbourhoods all along 19 Street, Neighbourhoods all 22 Street, Neighbourhoods all along 32 Street, Neighbourhoods all along 40 Ave and Neighbourhoods all along 30 Ave will be negatively affected.

So a developer can build 50 houses along Piper Creek in addition to the 700+ houses he planned if the extension remained. Admittedly they will be big fancy million dollar homes on Piper Creek.

50 families will enjoy nice fenced yards backing onto Piper Creek. While thousands of other people, have to deal with increased traffic noise.

This council knows that the bridge needs to be built but there are some who actually believe that removing it is the best option.

Ten years I would have agreed but today I have seen the results of a city being led by a few including developers and land speculators and I changed my mind. I live in Sunnybrook along the woods of Piper Creek. I have seen the changes, lost value in my house, lost use of the backyard to traffic noise. Been victimized by the homeless people living in those woods, Seen the tents, the garbage, the needles and the human waste.

I watched animals get killed trying to cross 32 St. at 10,000 cars per day, today’s 23,500 cars per day makes it almost impossible how about when traffic hits 45,000? 32 Street and 19 Streets will become insurmountable barriers.

The city is repairing 32 St near 47 Ave. today at a cost of 3 million because a foundation shifted. 32 St wasn’t meant for today’s traffic.

They talking of spending millions, widening 32 St to 6 lanes, spending millions widening 19 St to 6 lanes. They have mentioned a traffic circle at 40 Ave. and 19 St which could cost maybe 10s of millions. There is a question of a pedestrian bridge over 19 St. to get to Westerner at what 17 million?

All this so a developer can build 50 houses on Piper Creek. 50, onemillion dollar houses is a lot of money, but everyone else will be paying for it for along time.

I mentioned our population grew by only 195 people in 5 years, but in the same time we built 1290 homes. We have 800 kms of sidewalks many that have yet to see a home, and yet we cannot afford to maintain. So why do we want to build another 700-750 houses, add another km or 2 of sidewalk that we cannot maintain.

All this so a few rich people can become richer?

I am really beginning to think this council does not represent me or anyone I know. How about you?