A group of residents opposed to the roundabout slated for the intersection of Highways 55 and 892 presented the MD of Bonnyville council with a petition signed by 1,100 people and letters of opposition from 180 truck drivers on Wednesday.
The MD of Bonnyville had previously agreed to chip in $2 million for the provincial government to do something about the notoriously dangerous intersection, where the two provincial highways meet. The government said a roundabout or traffic circle was the best option. The MD agreed to provide the funds so the government would bump the intersection up its priority list and also widen a stretch of Highway 55. The MD also asked for a resource road grant for Wolf Lake Road, which it has since received. The grant is for $3 million.
“This was the package we threw at them. If we were going to put money into it, this is what we wanted in return,” said Reeve Ed Rondeau at the meeting.
The petition was signed by people who are against the MD contributing $2 million to the project, explained Gilbert Proulx, one of the petition organizers.
“What a lot of people have expressed a problem with is that we are being bought out by our own money,” said Proulx. “If we deserve a grant, if we deserve some money for those roads, we should not have to bargain anything because this should be done. It's the government's obligation to step forward and put the money in. We shouldn't have to put money in to get money out.”
For the full story, see next Tuesday's Nouvelle.
