The bridge has become the lightning rod for the City

Truer words have never been spoken. I know there will be enough words on this site to burn that teribls bridge to the ground. Please someone tell me again that the Mayor will say I was wrong on this bridge issue. It made my day and I just had to have another glass of wine to celebrate. Lets just march on City Hall. Just had another.

Couldnt we form a "fight the bridge committee" and get it over with once and for all.

Lunch is on so I have to go.

Cheers

Can I just have the wine, and leave the politics to you folks?
Were'nt the concrete piers tested and found suitable for to carry a new 2 lane bridge?
Correct me if I am wrong, but that scenario seems to make the most sense, the 'foundation' is there, the approaches are there (with a little extra work at each end)
What's the matter, is this too simple a solution?

Let's get going on this!!
metalman.

I am seriously beginning to wonder if Kinsley can remember from day to day, without checking notes, what he has said or done?
i don't think he is that old or is he?

Maybe its time to take that final holiday and retire...

Now this may be a bit off key but since we are going to do a number on City hall I would like to do the "kick off."

Now all of us tax payers recieved a calender from the City. What I would really like to know is how many of you actually hung that calender on your wall? I tried to interest Ben on my little project but there was a "no comment" from him.

The fact is that and I feel guilty about this, is that I recieved two calenders with some "junk mail". Not being the greedy type I returned them to the Mayor and City Council. I Did get a responce from Mr Schaffer and he seemed more then pleased that I had returned the calanders. His words were,"thank you for returning the calenders you did not wish to use."

When I returned the calenders I did also request further information as to the cost of these clanders and who got the contract to print them. Mr Schaffer tells me that they printed 30,000 of these calenders at a small cost of $0.72 each for a grand total of $21,600 but he didn't tell me who the lucky contractor was.

Now heres your challenge, before you put your pencil where your mouth is you have to vote and tell me if you actually hung the calender in question. And if there is a positive responce I will be down at the post office to do my duty in public. And no cheating.

Please bear with me on this project and I apologise to those who would think this is all clap trap.

Cheers

I never got a calender....................

It is hanging on the wall, for the garbage collection dates - so it is indeed useful, for me, anyways.

I like the Calendar!
It gives Spring break days and days off school. I can actually plan something with my grandchildren having it all in one place.
At 72 cents I think it is a good deal.
Sure a better deal than the damn bridge.

Marty,so do I count you as a "No" (you didnt hang)?

But there is another bit of information that Mr Schaffer shared with me and this should relieve some of the fear on financing for the Cameron Street bridge. He tells me that the Cities share of the Provincial Homowner grants for 2006 will be $9,265,528.00 and for 2007 that amount will increase to $11,170,371.00. Boy will that ever build a lovely bridge. And I think we should rename it the Colin Kinsley" bridge. I know Im plagierizing here as know many others have made that suggestion.

Cheers

calendar? Lucky you..... I wonder how they afforded it?
But hey enjoy it enough sour grapes from me for today....

Jeez

To spend money on the bridge is a disaster.

To save it as a foot and cycle bridge - yes.
To spend money on it for vehicular traffic no.

Wrong location; no vision.

I am thinking of contacting a lawyer so that none of my tax dollars go into it.

The Cameron St. Bridge was given to the City for $1.00 by the Provincial Government with the proviso that the City would be responsible for the maintenance of the bridge. The City then went ahead and built the Cameron St. Overpass (Over CN Line) because of the increase in trains due to the coal shpments from Tumbler Ridge. I cant remember what the cost of the Overpass was but I think it was substaintial.(Millions)

The intent of the Provincial Government was to close the Cameron St. Bridge because they felt that two bridges (1) Foothills (2) John Hart was sufficient to service the North end of Prince George. The John Hart bridge has since been twinned, and therefore in effect the Provincial Government built another bridge. The twinning cost taxpayers something like 40 Million dollars . 27 Million budgeted and 14 Million overrun.

One would assume that if the Provincial Government felt that the Cameron St. bridge was necessary they would have spent the 40 Million 5 blocks down the street rather than twin the John Hart.

We are now in the position of approaching the Provincial Government for more money to assist us in building a new Cameron St. Bridge. Are we incapable of getting the message from the Provincial Government that they have already built enough bridges over this river.

The problem now is that because the City owns the Cameron St. Bridge and refuses to repair and resurface it for $724,000.00 (Figure comes from the Citys Transportation Manager) We the taxpayers will have to pay a minimum of $7.5 Million dollars for a new bridge. This money will not come from the Provincial or Federal Governments, it will come straight out of the pockets of Prince George Taxpayers, and the bridge will continue to belong to the City and therefore the Maintenance etc will continue to be a City responsibility into the future.

8000 Vehicles per day does not, and never will warrant building a new bridge for 9.5 Million (Assuming 2 Million from other sources)

If in fact a new bridge is required it should be built by the Provincial Government as part of the Highway system and paid for by all Taxpayers of BC not just those in Prince George. The City got us into this hole, when they took over the Bridge years ago for $1.00 , and now want us to get into the Bridge building business, which for all intents and purposes in a BC Goverment responsibility.

Repair and resurface it for $724,000.00 and get another 10 years out of the old structure, or close it down and let the Provincial Government look after building a new bridge (if required) or to do something with the stretch of road between 1st Ave.,Carney St and 5th and the Bypass.

Lets get our nose out of the Bridge building business. Is not normally considered as a responsibility of a Municipal Government.

Kimbo I use it for garbage days so it is worth the 72 cents, but I would gladly trade it for a Canadian Armed Forces Remberence calander if they would make one for me that has all the important dates of our Armed Forces. ie Vimy Ridge, Diepp, Yrpes, ect ect.

Pal
I know we paid 1.00 for the bridge. I ran for Council opposing the Cameron Street Overpass and won. The bridge was given to us when the John Hart was built on the proviso that we close it down. We almost defeated the Overpass but Cliff Dezell decided to play golf at 108 that weekend and so we lost. How convenient. Godfrey and Bodnar and others were against the Overpass. We had it made until Cliff decided to not vote. It was the pressure from the River Road crowd and you know them all and Stauble's backing that passed the disaster. At that time Kinsley didn't and still doesn't have a conscience he just wanted to be popular and get re-elected and he was one that went along with the pressure group.
It is not right for this City and for our development. I will do everything I can to withhold taxes from this mistake and I hope others do the same. Anyone know a good lawyer?

Chadermando: On the Calendar I support you although I like our beginnings. My Dad joined up from Prince George in the First World War and served in Europe. (He said he was lousy from the day he arrived to the day he left) The mud in the trenches was terrible. As a Kid I used to go through his memorbablia, putties and all. My brother joined up in the second world war from Prince George and served in the RCAF based in England and flew over Europe.

Ah, this vote! ... dawn falls over some head .. or marblehead ...

We may or may not have received a calendar. The mail here gets sorted into junk, bills, and real mail.

So, we either did not get one or more calendars or we did nto notice. If it was delivered with the newspaper it is even worse.

If it was a nice calendar I might have sent it to my daughter back east to remind her of her birthplace. Other than that, we prefer to use calendars which have some meaning to us, thus we like to select our own.

So, calendars sent by the city or given by the local chinese restaurant or by the local deli are a waste of money for us.

Now, if someone were to do a high quality calendar of PG and surounding area, that might be another matter. We would likely pay for several to send to friends we know would use them.

"If in fact a new bridge is required it should be built by the Provincial Government as part of the Highway system and paid for by all Taxpayers of BC not just those in Prince George"

That would be quite possible if it were built through Cottonwood Park. At the time they built the overpass with the new bridge over the Fraser that was one of the options to connect 16 with 97 north via Salmon Valley Road. It is the northern bypass. The cameron street bridge is a true municipal bridge. It connects tow city streets - river road to pulpmill road. None of those are part of the highway system.

Pal:" The problem now is that because the City owns the Cameron St. Bridge and refuses to repair and resurface it for $724,000.00 (Figure comes from the Citys Transportation Manager) We the taxpayers will have to pay a minimum of $7.5 Million dollars for a new bridge."

Why isn't anybody considering this as the only reasonable way out?

My headache is coming back again! This bridge thing is a bad dream? No??? O.k., apply directly to the forehead...directly to the forehead...directly to the forehead...directly to the forehead...directly to the forehead...directly to the forehead.......

Over and out!

Well I'm rather disappointed with the vote. We have all this whining about a bridge but its OK to spend $21,600 bucks on calenders. Ever herd the old saying, "if you look after the pennies the dollars will look after themselves."

If you want to do something about the bridge go to City Hall and let them know what your point is. Thats what I have done. You'd have to be a space cadet if you think we need that stupid bridge.

Cheers

People find all kinds of things to whine about:
bridges....calendars...