METRO VANCOUVER They say good fences may make good neighbours but a decision by Transport Canada isn't making White Rock residents feel very neighbourly.

On Tuesday, work began to install a two-metre locked gate at the west beach boat launch near Bay Street on Marine Drive.

The city received an order from the federal ministry on June 6 to close public access to the boat launch immediately.

"It's what I would term, on my better day, as being a kneejerk bureaucratic reaction," said White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin who is strongly opposed to the decision.

This was the first in a series of safety measures that Transport Canada ordered the city and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., which owns the rail line, to take after a review spurred by the death of 42-year-old Anita Lewis in July 2013. Lewis died after being hit by a train while jogging on east beach near Finlay Street.

In February an elderly man with dementia was also hit and suffered head injuries.

Additional sections of fencing are set to be installed along the rail line at the bottom of Coldicutt Ravine and running east of Finlay Street by the end of June - effectively closing access at these points along the beach.

Trains will also be required to blow their whistles more frequently while passing pedestrian areas.

According to Baldwin, a railroad inspector came to White Rock a few weeks ago to assess the situation. In that assessment the inspector reported seeing huge numbers of people illegally on the tracks, cars parked on the crossing at the boat launch and even a baby carriage left on the rails - claims which Baldwin feels are unfair and inaccurate.

"I cannot see a mother doing that. I've never seen that in my life. I don't know what he's talking about," he said.

Read the original here:
Fences go up at White Rock waterfront as Transport Canada makes safety moves

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June 15, 2014 at 6:31 am by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Fences