On the morning of August 13, 2009 the Township of Esquimalt held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new crosswalk located at the 1100 block of Esquimalt Road between Fraser Street and Fernhill Road. For the cutting of the ribbon, Mayor Barb Desjardins was joined by Gilbert Côté, Esquimalt’s Director of Engineering and Public Works and Inspector Darrell McLean of the Victoria Police Department West Division. After the ribbon was cut, Mayor Desjardins and a group of senior residents crossed the new crosswalk to make their way to Serious Coffee for some coffee and tea.
“This project is about improving the quality of life for our residents of all ages. The crosswalk provides residents with mobility challenges a safer option for crossing Esquimalt Road. This is a win-win situation as residents can now safely access shops and services at the Esquimalt Plaza and plaza businesses will experience increased patronage from these residents,” says Mayor Barb Desjardins.
The Victoria Police brought attention to the potentially dangerous situation of where individuals, including seniors, were crossing the 1100 block of Esquimalt Road in order to access the Esquimalt Plaza. As outlined in the 2009-2011 Strategic Plan, Esquimalt is working towards ensuring the community’s pedestrian network is safer for all users including those with disabilities. The construction of the crosswalk helps achieve this goal along with other accessibility initiatives.
Back in July, an accessibility audit was conducted to develop a comprehensive strategy to make the Township of Esquimalt accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. Funding for the audit came from the provincial Measuring Up Fund/2010 Legacies Now. Results of the audit are expected in late August.
For more information please contact:
Marlene Lagoa, Manager of Communications and Sustainability
Tel: 250-414-7122
