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LETTER: Fact No Fiction

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to the District of Squamish and copied to The Chief. A response from the District is included after this letter.

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to the District of Squamish and copied to The Chief. A response from the District is included after this letter.

As a resident of Squamish and Dentville we hope you aren’t planning a “Mill and Overlay” of our roads in Dentville?

We have noticed the contractor’s machinery on site and believe it to be a waste of taxpayers dollars. There are more serious concerns underground. The residents of this neighbourhood have lived with un-curbed roads and inadequate infrastructure for decades. All residents of Squamish should have a say in where and when our tax dollars are spent, not just in a sensitive area during an election cycle. The problems lying beneath our roads stem from years of neglect and mismanagement. Most residents have aging asbestos covered water mains and virtually no Storm Water Management System near their properties. These antiquated systems that feed the high school and elementary schools, I may add.

There has been no evidence of core samples taken on our roads and no proof that a simple “cut and cover” will fix the problems we are facing long term.

Band-aid fixes and fancy flat, black roads just go to show that certain people are in over their proverbial heads.

-Tim Street

Squamish (Dentville)

 

Reply from the District:

The District has detailed asset management plans in place including ones for water, sewer and road infrastructure outlining multi-million dollar programs for the annual review and maintenance of these systems to guide repair, replacement, capacity increases, and comprehensive long-term financial planning. The District has paid particular attention to the location and condition of all our asbestos cement water lines, and has a detailed implementation plan for all of their eventual replacement. Note that thousands of kilometres of asbestos cement watermains are in use across North America and pose no health risks to the public, as outlined by Health Canada (Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality). When replaced, they are being replaced with other materials due to health hazards to workers associated with their manufacture and installation, not because of risk to the public consuming the water.

 

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