LangleyAdvance
Sing for kids pg A17
Your community newspaper since 1931
Friday, December 10, 2010
Your source for local sports, news, weather, and entertainment: www.langleyadvance.com
Audited circulation: 41,100 – 40 pages
BobKALO
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Dave Thomas voiced his opposition to the 196th Street overpass and road planned for the Langley/Surrey border, garnering applause from other members of the public at the Langley City council meeting Dec. 6.
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City council
Petition blasts City’s rail overpass
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Seniors are leading the opposition to the Roberts Bank road projects on the Langley/Surrey border.
WE HAVE
LADIES FASHION
HARLEY BOOTS
About 400 signatures are on a petition opposing plans for an overpass and road near 196th Street and 54th Avenue. The overpass project, which falls on the Surrey/Langley border, is part of the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor, including roadwork and overpasses around the Lower Mainland. The plans call for four-lane, divided overpasses at 192nd and at 196th Streets, as well as a two-lane overpass at 54th Avenue and 194th Street. The project would also punch 196th Street through from the industrial area near the
Township council
Task force costs divide mayor from council It was another verbal battle royale between the mayor and Township council. by Matthew Claxton
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mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
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train tracks, south to 53rd Avenue, but without inconveniencing Langley. would not link up with 53rd in Langley. The overall Roberts Bank project includes Surrey is planning and overseeing the prothe stalled Mufford Overpass project. So far jects, with involvement from the province only basic information about the planned and TransLink, and an $8.5-milprojects has been posted online lion commitment from Langley (www.robertsbankrailcorridor.ca). City. Two meetings are planned for Dave Thomas, a resident of the residents around 196th and 192nd seniors’ strata complex Huntsfield Streets to offer their input: Dec. 15 Green at 196th Street, asked at the Sunrise Golf Course, 188th Langley “to reconsider and withStreet and 56th Avenue; and Dec. 16 draw any funding commitment.” at Nicomekl Elementary, 20050 53rd COMMENT Thomas said the overpass will Ave. Both are 5-8 p.m. ONLINE result in significant noise, light, Langley City administrator Francis and air pollution, and will add to Cheung said people can make sugindustrial use of residential areas. gestions on the project and how it looks, He stressed that truck drivers prefer to because it’s still in the planning stages, but be on the roads very early and very late, to the people at the City council meeting didn’t avoid heavy traffic. want the proposed changes at all. He said it would inconvenience Langley “Hopefully the whole project will be residents, while only benefitting Surrey, and thrown out,” Thomas told City council on said Surrey should solve its traffic problems Monday evening. www.langleyadvance.com
EVERYDAY!
Tempers flared at Langely Township council Monday night, as the mayor and several councillors engaged in an argument lasting almost an hour. Mayor Rick Green accused other councillors of “attacking me for their own political purposes” and of raising “com-
pletely false accusations.” His anger was sparked by a motion from Councillor Kim Richter seeking data on spending on a committee set up by the mayor. “I think it’s unforgiveable that we on council are forced to putting motions to getting simple answers to simple questions,” she said. Richter said every time the council asks for something from the mayor, he turns around and attacks. “It’s got to stop, that’s not appropriate behaviour for a mayor,” Richter said.
The fight goes back to a point Coun. Charlie Fox raised at an earlier meeting. Fox asked how much Township money was spent on the meetings of the South Fraser Community Rail Task Force. The task force was set up by Green, and includes members of the councils from most South of the Fraser communities, representatives from local universities, and rail advocacy groups. Green had promised that it would not cost the Township anything. After Fox raised the issue of staff time, the mayor brought back a memo which
said that while Township resources were being used, they were at no additional cost and were accommodated by the existing work force and resources. “Staff has confirmed this to be correct, so why are we going to any cost of auditors? Just another waste of money,” Green said. But Richter, Fox, and other councillors insisted there must be a cost for staff to work for the task force, rather than at other tasks on Township business.
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