Re: 'Wembley Mall residential development headed to Parksville public hearing' (www.pqbnews.com, March 6)
I live in the condo building on Wembley Road across from the proposed site.
While this is my personal opinion, residents in my complex and the surrounding area share similar concerns about the increase in traffic from the new developments at Church Road and Wembley Road, and now a proposed five-story building that exceeds the Official Community Plan (OCP) limit of four storeys.
There has been vacant retail space in Wembley Mall throughout the seven years I’ve lived here. Why build more? The developer’s open house in late 2022 or early 2023 felt more like a sales pitch than a forum for community feedback.
I participated in two sessions of the 10-year Traffic Management Plan (TMP). In the TMP materials and the developers’ submissions, there is no acknowledgement that the increase in traffic from 186 new units will impact the Wembley area. North Parksville residents will bear the brunt of increased traffic over the next decade, as current TMP priorities focus on Highway 19A, downtown, and the waterfront—important, yes, but not helpful to this neighbourhood’s immediate issues.
There’s also been no mention of opening Ackerman Road to Hwy 19A to improve access. Currently, southbound traffic uses a private mall road near the liquor store, and northbound traffic must use Wembley and Wright Roads—where there are no sidewalks, posing a risk to pedestrians, including children walking to school. This is not a “safe walking” neighbourhood.
I’ve spoken with Coun. Grenz and written to council. The response I received made no mention of traffic concerns or plans to address them during development approvals.
Remember this next time you are vehicle number 10 waiting at the Church and Wembley stop signs en route to the landfill. Consider writing to council at council@parksville.ca. We need our city to do better.
Carole Anne Aube
Parksville
