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LETTERS: Nowhere safe to walk during COVID-19 pandemic

White Rock’s waterfront and surrounding residential area overcrowded
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Events that draw people to the Waterfront make for an unsafe walking environment during the ongoing pandemic, writes A.J. Chapman. (Aaron Hinks photo)

Editor:

Re: Rules are not enforced, Dec. 31 letters

I commend this writer for speaking to what I have been troubled with and watch on a daily basis when we are in the midst of the worst phase of this pandemic since it started.

We closed Marine Drive parking lots, the promenade and the pier when we thought it was heading to the peak time of this still quite unknown COVID-19. And yet today, we allow dogs on the promenade to entice even more people to walk on this less-than-six-foot-wide promenade.

While I commend the activities/tourist attractions the city offers us, this is not the time to attract more people to our beach area. The city allowed the (White Rock Festival of Lights) that are keeping the parking lots, the pier and the very narrow promenade on a steady flow all day and all evening of every day of the week.

I was stunned to see that the parking lots were completely full, as well as the promenade at midnight on New Year’s Eve. I went out onto my deck and to my surprise and horror, I was watching fireworks in the sky. How many bylaw officers were there overseeing the large crowds?

I have watched large groups walking together on the promenade and the pier this past month. I have watched the parking lots being full of groups gathering and chatting.

I feel my residential area is so overcrowded, not leaving anywhere safe to walk while trying my best to follow the COVID guidelines.

If White Rock council insists on these heavily crowded events that bring many visitors to our White Rock area, then please bring in the law enforcement and bylaw officers as well.

I don’t want to spend next Christmas and New Year’s Eve sitting by myself again. I am following the guidelines as I want to be able to spend time with my family and friends in the future. However, it will take upper management to follow these same guidelines in order that we may all see some normality before the end of 2021.

A.J. Chapman, White Rock