Dear Editor:
On Oct. 3, Peter Julian, our MP, hosted a townhall meeting that covered a broad range of railways issues in New Westminster.
Also in attendance were Judy Darcy, our MLA; Mayor Wayne Wright; Coun. Chuck Puchmayr, railway community advisory panel representative; fire chief Tim Armstrong; and myself, Brian Allen, railway noise chair for the Quayside Community Board.
This was a very positive and collaborative meeting. Although it was held on about 24 hours' notice, about 90 to 100 people were in attendance, and all of our civic leaders were able to make arrangements to attend this event on very short notice. On behalf of the Quayside community and the board, I thank them all for their concern and for taking the time out of their busy schedules .
Among the many issues that were covered included: unreasonable noise in the rail yard, the storage and staging of hazardous goods, the possibility of relocating the rail yard, train whistles in the rail yard and at rail crossings throughout the city, idling locomotive engines, garbage in the rail yard, broken fences, the rail horn event of Sept. 12 and several other items.
After five years of working on several of these issues the Quayside Community Board has done all that they can on their own. I asked each of the participants to take a leadership role in their respective areas of responsibility and do what they can to address these many issues.
Each of the participants committed to doing what they can to address the many railway issues that plague our community, and they reviewed what they have accomplished thus far. I have personally offered my assistance as a community volunteer to each and every one of them. I also asked the public to report any railway complaints they may have to [email protected].
I have also asked Peter Julian to organize another railway town hall in January 2014 and to invite each of the participants so they can report on what they have accomplished in addressing these items in the next three months. In addition, I have also extended an invitation personally to each of the participants to attend a possible railway town hall in January.
With the lead time of several months, I would expect that all of our public leaders will be able to attend another meeting in January 2014, and there should be a much stronger public turnout to hear what they have accomplished in the next three months.
Brian Allen, rail noise committee chair, Quayside Community Board
