Kent Council has responded to requests from residents for more safety measures along Kilby Road.
Mayor Sylvia Pranger and council directed district staff to undertake data collection along Kilby Road in hopes of developing traffic calming solutions.
Two weeks ago, Kilby Road residents Clare Chalupa and Lynn Scullion appeared as a delegation before council, representing the Kilby Block Watch. The organization wrote a letter to the district last year, highlighting safety worries from residents which they say will only increase as the area gains more residents and increased tourism. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, Kilby Heritage Society and the Kilby Historic Site all wrote letters of support on behalf of the block watch.
A petition in 2017 asked for speed humps along the road, which the district denied at the time due to concerns of how this would affect first responders and other critical services to the area. The district did, however, install a number of additional speed limit signs in the area to remind motorists to slow down.
The district has previously installed speed humps along Ashton Road, which was a problem spot for speeders and has led to fatalities involving pedestrians and vehicles in the past.
In other council business:
- Agassiz Fire Department Chief Gerald Basten asked council for their support in applying for funding from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) and the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports Program. Council supported this unanimously. If this application succeeds, the Agassiz Fire Department would see a significant increase in equipment.
The next regular District of Kent Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at Municipal Hall (7170 Cheam Avenue). Online attendance is also available via Microsoft Teams; those interested can register through kentbc.ca.