The start of 2007 has been marred by tragedy - a tragedy that could have been avoided.
The Sunshine Coast lost another promising youth when 12-year-old Brynn Proctor Suddes was killed while trying to cross Highway 101 Tuesday afternoon.
It's a horrible loss for her family, friends and the community. We have no words to describe how sorry we feel for Brynn's family. What can you say that can be of comfort in such a dark hour? Brynn's death comes only five short months after we lost two other young lives when Elphinstone Secondary School students Trina Borley and Hanna Anderson died in an accident near Sechelt.
At that time, many in our community cried out for change and improvements to our highway. Those cries seemingly fell on deaf ears. In light of this week's accident, those cries have risen again.
Area residents have planned a rally for Monday on the highway near the Poplars Trailer Park - the scene of Tuesday's accident. People are frustrated and fed up with the number of accidents in the area and on the highway in general. Residents are calling for better highway signage, more traffic lights and reduced speed limits all along Highway 101, but so far, highways officials don't seem to think any changes are needed.
In July we spoke with Ministry of Transportation officials, and although they recognized the accidents and expressed sympathy for lives lost, they said no changes were imminent.
MLA Nicholas Simons met with transportation minister Kevin Falcon late last year and received basically the same story - no changes were on the horizon.
Coast Reporter also got Premier Gordon Campbell on record in August when he was in Sechelt for the local Liberal riding association meeting.
Campbell was quoted as saying: " the first priority we have with our highway improvements is to try to make sure our highways are safer." He indicated Minister Falcon would pay a visit to the community "sooner rather than later" to meet firsthand with the community and government officials to hear concerns. Well, Mr. Campbell, it's time to put your money where your mouth is. It's time for Falcon to meet with this community. It's time for some action.
How many more accidents need to happen and how many more lives mourned before someone wises up?
