Roundabouts easy: new driver, 16

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/10/2010 (5497 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There were a lot of words about traffic circles at Thursday night’s all-candidates’ debate in River Heights, but the best ones belonged to a 16-year-old student.

“I’m a new driver and I figured them out,” said Kelvin High School student Michaela Briscoe, who earned the warmest applause and biggest laughs of the night.

Briscoe said the much-maligned traffic circles reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but most others in the packed room at the River Heights Community Centre were still cranky over the lack of consultation prior to construction.

Coun. John Orlikow, who is fighting to hold onto his seat in the city’s nastiest battle, said the city’s consultation process is fatally flawed, asking opinions from residents often only after a plan is nearly complete.

But he said River Heights residents were notified of the new traffic-calming projects with flyers and a town-hall meeting. He said real consultation should take three years, not three months, but Ottawa demanded the money be spent fast.

“John, with all due respect,” replied challenger Michael Kowalson. “It’s very easy to pass the buck and blame another level of government.”

Kowalson promised at least two public meetings in River Heights, Fort Garry and Linden Woods to create a neighbourhood plan. And he said he would have gone to Ottawa and asked for the bike path money to be redirected.

“Not on my watch. Never will there be major changes to this neighbourhood like has taken place without extensive public consultation,” he said. “Even if that meant banging on doors and banging on desks and saying, ‘No this isn’t the priority right now.’ “

Retorted Orlikow: “It’s always nice to take a trip to Ottawa but that’s not going to get the job done.”

Both candidates agreed crime, roads and community clubs are the top issues in the River Heights-Fort Garry ward, but it was community consultation that dominated the debate and most of the questions from the floor.

The room appeared divided almost down the middle in terms of candidate support. But the discussion was civil save for one question that challenged Kowalson to disavow an anti-bike path citizens group Orlikow has called a front for Kowalson’s campaign. In a testy moment, Kowalson thundered back that residents have a right to voice their views.

Kowalson also said a light rail has transit system could be “Winnipeg’s game-changer” and said be believes the details of the Veolia sewage treatment contract ought to be made public. He was unabashed in his support for Mayor Sam Katz, but criticized the city for agreeing to a deal to build a new CFL football stadium before the true costs are known.

“That’s an example of government jumping into something with both feet without all the facts on the table,” said Kowalson, adding he wouldn’t vote for major design changes or for more city cash to cover cost overruns.

Orlikow said he opposed using public-private partnerships to provide core city services and raised the alarm over the possible future privatization of community rinks, golf courses and transit.

And, he responded to a question about composting by saying he supports regional recycling depots for composting and other waste like batteries as part of a future green plan.

“When we actually get a green plan,” sighed Orlikow. “We actually presently — shocked — don’t have one.”

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca