Eventually stop growth

Re: “The path of most resistance,” Editorial, June 25 While there may be “no simple solutions to Edmonton’s traffic woes,” surely one worth considering is slowing this city’s growth to an eventual stop.

Of course, with the current conventional wisdom that growth is not only desirable, but also essential, that isn’t likely to happen.

A city that renews and reinvents itself can be sustainable; one that grows continually and outstrips its resources cannot.

Long commutes (due to urban sprawl) and traffic congestion (due to population growth) benefit no man or the environment. The City struggles to maintain infrastructure; infill woes divide neighbourhoods. Wetlands and other natural areas disappear under greenfield development; the wildness of our much-vaunted “pristine” river valley is compromised with exploding recreational use.

Many Edmontonians would tolerate the inconveniences of rapid growth if there was an end to it in sight. This city needs boundaries, physical and population-wise, and developers should be required to respect them.

Perhaps our new government will actively promote rural development while providing disincentives to urban sprawl.

P.J. Cotterill, Edmonton