Tuesday’s letters: Downtown remains a disgrace despite millions

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Re. “If you have to ask, you’ll never know,” Letters, April 28

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Anita Jenkins’ response to Phyllis Baldwin’s letter is probably as ignorant as many of city council’s decisions which have driven our downtown to the brink.

Generally empty bike lanes, confounding traffic signaling tied to said bike lanes, endless construction, a ghetto Churchill Square, rampant hooliganism, and empty storefronts draw no one.

In spite of spending over $70 million (so far and accomplishing nothing) to refurbish part of Jasper Avenue and nothing on any other street or avenue throughout the downtown or Oliver areas, this leaving the area in the worst condition I’ve ever seen. The city staff are now fixed on a 100th Street pedestrian bridge and Top of the Line, at great capital and operational costs, yet again to accomplish nothing.

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Downtowns should be vibrant spaces for commerce, culture, people, and is the hub for who we are as Edmontonians. Our downtown is a disgrace, and a city council distracted by baubles will never change that.

Randall Turner, Edmonton

A tale of city’s two pedestrian bridges

Thirty years ago, the City of Edmonton built the LRT bridge across the river to get to the university. The pedestrian bridge that hangs below it is very much like a Soviet-era apartment block in Eastern Europe — functional, practical — but ugly and uninviting. You get on it and you just want to get across the bridge and get off of it.

I recently rode across the new Tawatinâ Bridge between the Muttart Conservatory and the Convention Centre. wow! What a spectacular bridge! It welcomes you and makes you want to linger — to admire the artwork and our amazing city. Good job Edmonton; you’ve learned a lot in 30 years.

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Bill Godfrey, Edmonton

Payment optional on Edmonton Transit?

It seems a glaring step towards improving transit safety in Edmonton is not being addressed: payment required to enter transit vehicles and stations. Currently, the LRT stations are glorified criminal drop-in centers, and the city administration bemoans how ETS is bleeding money, yet payment is for “other people.”

Alan Leeb, Edmonton

International ignominy not for everyone

Re. “Alleged naked dance at sacred Bali site could get Canadian deported,” April 3

Jeffrey Douglas Craigen from Vancouver, accused of making an immoral video in Bali, Indonesia, is a Canadian ambassador of whom we can all be ashamed. Should he return to Canada, his passport should be permanently revoked to prevent further outrage. Mr. Craigen should be reminded that acting on the international stage in a manner embarrassing to all Canadians is a privilege we extend only to our prime minister.

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Clarence Elias, Edmonton

Where are savings in auto insurance cost?

While driving my 2009 RAV-4 since the UCP has been elected my insurance rate has increased as follows (keep in mind no claims, no speeding tickets)
Year 1 – 23.92 per cent; Year 2 – 10.12 per cent; Year 3 – 9.45 per cent. Since Year 1, a total of 53.78-per-cent increase since the UCP has been elected. When the minister talks of leveling off or decreases where is this happening? More smoke and mirrors from an out-of-control government.

Robert Dorward, Edmonton

Cartoonist always earns a chuckle

Cartoonist Malcolm Mayes is a genius. I always get a chuckle out of his political cartoons about him. The cartoon in the April 28 paper was spot-on. Comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolph Hitler is certainly not out of context. However, I’m sure Mr. Mayes won’t get any invitation to go to Russia any time soon.

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Ed Moore, Edson

Edmonton Transit security is toothless

Many American cities have clean and safe transit systems. Unlike American transit cops, our transit security is toothless: they don’t carry weapons, and the criminals/vagrants know it; they have no real power of arrest, and the criminals/vagrants know it.

And the city, in its infinite wisdom, removed the loitering prohibition, and the criminals/vagrants know it. But if you skip out on a fare, our transit cops are johnny on the spot!

Hmmm, I wonder what can be done to clean up our transit system so paying patrons feel both safe and comfortable using ETS? You know, I can’t think of a single thing, and since it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Richard Garside, Edmonton

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