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Town still deciding whether to close road

Turner Valley councillors are seeking more information before deciding whether or not to close a residential road that’s raised concerns among citizens.
Turner Valley Town council is gathering more information before deciding whether or not to close the east portion of Imperial Drive that goes through the Turner Valley Golf
Turner Valley Town council is gathering more information before deciding whether or not to close the east portion of Imperial Drive that goes through the Turner Valley Golf Club.

Turner Valley councillors are seeking more information before deciding whether or not to close a residential road that’s raised concerns among citizens.

Several Royalite Way residents are asking Town council to reconsider a bylaw it passed in 2006 to close Imperial Drive from the villas east to the Turner Valley Golf Club.

“Before we can make any decisions or be able to steer ourselves in a direction we need to ask administration to gather up information and bring it to us as to the impact if it’s closed, the impact if it remains open, safety standards, dollar impact,” said coun. Dona Fluter at council’s May 19 meeting.

The bylaw was passed in response to residents’ concerns about a potential increase in traffic due to a proposed housing development to the south of their subdivision, which didn’t materialize.

The developer was required to build a road connecting the subdivision to Royalite Way, but didn’t follow through.

Last December, residents noticed a road being constructed south of their subdivision.

They learned the Town applied for and received money from the Flood Recovery Erosion Control program to build the road after a large portion of the Sheep River bank eroded.

The erosion brought the bank closer to the west section of Imperial Drive, creating an urgency to close that portion of the road.

Residents are asking council to reconsider closing the east part of the road, which provides direct access to Black Diamond through the golf course.

Fluter, who was on council when the bylaw was passed, said an agreement was made between the Town, landowner and Turner Valley Golf Club regarding road closure, but little occurred since then.

“There was quite a process that did actually happen during that time period,” she said. “That being said, the road closure was based on the traffic. With the subdivision not moving forward… the only thing in question for me is when to do it – now or when the subdivision comes in and there is more traffic.”

Barry Williamson, the Town’s chief administrative officer, suggested council consider the investments other partners made before changing the bylaw.

“There’s a contractual issue around money that’s been spent,” he said. “Even if you delay the east side you have to reengage with certain parties. Residents are one of three parties that have a say.”

Gary Taylor, general manager of the Turner Valley Golf Club, said the golf club invested more than $1 million into renovation work to complete requirements laid out in the agreement and has concerns about keeping the road open.

“For the safety aspect of it we would definitely like to see that road close sooner rather than later,” he said. “It’s not really designed to be a two-way traffic road.”

At last week’s council meeting, some councillors were in favour of keeping the eastern portion of Imperial Drive open until development occurs while others suggested they wait.

“Let’s wait to see what the circumstances will be,” said Coun. Lane Park. “We don’t know who is going to use the road and how many people are going to use it.”

Coun. John Waring suggested the road close, adding it wasn’t meant to handle large amounts of traffic.

“If you look at the size of Royalite Way that road is not wide enough for parking and two way traffic,” he said. “If we keep two way traffic moving through the south side of Royalite Way how is this going to impact safety?”

Mayor Kelly Tuck said she doesn’t see an urgency to close the east part of the road, and that council has much to consider before making a decision.

“What does it look like if we close it, what are the costs of the road, what are we liable for?” she said.

“I need to understand all of the information.”

Royalite Way resident Murray Knowler hopes council will leave the east portion of Imperial Drive open, which would continue to give residents a direct route to Black Diamond.

“(Otherwise) you would have to go another extra mile south, then east and then north again rather than just going straight east,” he said. “It’s inconvenient for us.”

Knowler said he respects council’s decision to gather more information.

“The more information you can have the more it makes sense you can make a rational decision,” he said. “All I know is the vast majority of the people on this street were fairly upset the western portion will close, but as long as the eastern portion remains open we can live with it.”

Bill Rowe would also like to see it stay open, at least until a subdivision is built or circumstances change.

“I sense from what council said they don’t perceive any need at this point in time, subject to further investigation by administration, to close the eastern side of Imperial Drive,” he said. “I take some encouragement from that.”

John Blakeman, who was on council when the bylaw passed, wants it to close.

“Why you would leave it open if you spent all that money building it to the south?” he said. “Some of our residents feel it was like a sudden thing and we pushed it through. There was lots of forums and presentations. I would like for council to dig up that information and present it to the people to show we tried to do the right thing.”

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