To the Editor,
It has been two years—since June 2023—that the residents of the West Coast, including those who live in Port Alberni, were directly affected by the closure of Highway 4 due to a wildfire at Cameron Lake Bluffs. Highway 4 is the longest east-west main vehicle route on Vancouver Island
I wonder why the government does not use the taxes collected from all of us taxpayers to solve once and for all the problem we have when the main road to the Valley is shut down, affecting that important transit of people and goods?
I clearly remember when this community became very prosperous with the opening of sawmills, a paper mill, a thriving fishing industry, etc., making the forest areas especially a great contributor to the provincial economy. In those days the mills operated at full capacity, and workers laboured in three shifts. The truth is that our economy was at a sustainable development stage.
Obviously, since then things have changed.
I also recall the time when alternate routes out of the Alberni Valley were discussed—the Horne Lake road for example, was one of them. That route was to connect us directly with the eastern part of the island. Why didn't the government upgrade the road in order to making it convenient for us to go east?
That access would have allowed us to have another emergency road access as well as to count on an excellent opportunity for increasing our local tourism industry.
Now, let me tell you, 68 years ago we had another alternate road possibility out of the valley, the Cowichan Lake/Bamfield/Port Alberni route which could have been chosen as the best alternate if the government would have invested resources by paving the road.
I am not blaming any particular political party on this issue, but as a concerned citizen and a taxpayer, I want to raise my uneasiness. I hope that the government pays attention to our needs and doesn't wait any longer because a tragedy might happen.
Sandy Stewart,
Port Alberni
