Don’t let LRT divide the region

Waterloo Region’s light rail system is supposed to connect communities, not split them apart.

But that’s exactly what it’s done to a neighbourhood in south Kitchener and will continue to do unless the city and region step in to help.

A safe, public crossing over the light rail tracks needs to be built for the residents of the densely-populated Traynor-Vanier area — and they can’t make it happen on their own.

For years, they’ve been able to walk from their homes and cross a hydro easement to shop or work on nearby Fairway Road.

It was an easy, quick and safe trip of five or 10 minutes each way for the residents, many of whom are recent immigrants, refugees, seniors or students who live in apartments and can’t afford a car.

But those days have ended. New fences around the kilometre-long light rail line between Courtland and Wilson avenues have cut the residents off from Fairway Road.

The once-fast trip of a few minutes has been replaced by a round-trip journey of up to an hour.

Some residents are now riding two different public transit buses to shop at the nearest grocery store on Fairway — a store they can see from their apartments.

Some are taking a cab, though many consider that an unaffordable luxury.

And others are simply jumping the fences — a solution that will become dangerous the day the trains start running at a high speed on that stretch of track.

The residents of the Traynor-Vanier neighbourhood are reasonably asking for a level pedestrian crossing with gates to be built over the rail line — roughly midway between Courtland and Wilson.

Similar crossings are already planned on the University of Waterloo campus, in Waterloo Park and near Albert McCormick Community Centre in that city.

But there’s a difference. The pedestrian crossings in Waterloo will go where people already cross on public land.

In contrast, the crossing in south Kitchener would be built on private property and land owned by Hydro One.

Regional and city leaders might feel that while they have a responsibility to provide safe pedestrian crossings on public land they should not have to do the same on privately-owned land which they would have to purchase.

However, the expense of buying this land and building this crossing is justified.

This crossing is not a frill. It would make daily life more manageable — and walkable — for many lower-income citizens. But the biggest argument is safety. People will cross this light rail corridor to get to Fairway with or without a safe pedestrian crossing. The odds are high that eventually someone — perhaps a youngster — will be hurt or killed in the absence of a safe crossing.

Kitchener and regional leaders can be credited for giving the residents’ request full consideration. Let’s hope the upcoming public meetings and studies result in action. The price tag for light rail is already close to $1 billion. Spending a little more on this crossing will help ensure the project has been done right.