A group of Westwood residents is upset that a new bus route through their community will stay until at least next year.
"It that's democracy at its best, it's disappointing," Arlene Van Ruiten said yesterday after being told the civic works and operations committee had decided to keep the two-way transit route 82 until a survey is done next April.
"It's very sad. I'm not happy to hear this."
The residents were fighting a move by the committee earlier this summer to change the one-way bus route to a two-way route during peak hours. As well, the midday bus route was cancelled and replaced with a new demand response service, the DART 126, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The residents had fought the proposal in years past, but this time the change in the service was made without notice after a request by the local school division.
James Edmond, the lawyer representing the residents' group, said they are concerned about the safety of their children as well as the potential damage to their houses and the street from the heavier buses on the route.
Edmond said all the residents wanted was the chance to air their concerns at a public meeting before any transit changes were made.
But Anne Hildebrand, a member of the Parents Advisory Group in the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, said the school division believes the two-way bus service is needed to help students get to area schools.
"Without a two-way operation, attendance at the schools would be difficult," Hildebrand said.
"Every homeowner and resident of Westwood benefits from having schools with all grade levels in their community. The parents of Westwood appreciate the changes."
Coun. Pat Phillips (St. Charles), the local councillor, also called into question a petition gatered by the residents opposed to the transit changes.
Phillips said the 900 signatures on the petition represent only 515 of the 2,327 homes in the area. And Phillips said several of the people who signed it later asked to have their names removed when they were told it was the school division which initiated the changes.
"This group of people ... have taken up enough of the community's time," Phillips said.
"Our children are our main concern and they have been served."