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LETTER: Roundabout at Village Way should be first

Re: “ Council should ‘seriously’ reconsider roundabout ,” Letters , Aug. 16
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Re: “Council should ‘seriously’ reconsider roundabout,” Letters, Aug. 16

In a letter published in the PQB News last Aug. 16, Valerie Mark questions the merit of a roundabout at Memorial and 19A, and states that one at Village Way and 19A makes more sense.

While I agree with her proposal (and anyway a Village Way roundabout has been requested and supported by the town for more than a decade), the current plan for one at Memorial is not that bad.

Indeed the town’s website https://qualicumbeach.civicweb.net/document/7463 shows some nice images of the planned changes there. At present, it is not always easy to get in and out of the gas station at that corner, and certainly a roundabout will not improve matters, but perhaps that place is no longer the best spot for a gas station?

Valerie’s important point, though, is that a roundabout at Village Way and 19A would be a direct benefit to the 1,000-odd tax payers who live in Eaglecrest, making it easier for them to shop in Qualicum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a summer’s day.

In contrast, a roundabout at the bottom of Memorial would be nice for aesthetic reasons and would also calm traffic and benefit visitors to the waterfront, but surely taxpayer money should first be used for the benefit of locals, rather than visitors?

For my money, I am happy to have two roundabouts, but would prefer that the one at Village Way be built first, and so help integrate Eaglecrest into Qualicum, as well as calming the traffic along 19A.

Tony Marsland

Qualicum Beach