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Letter: Penticton bike lane flip-flop vote leaves citizens feeling ‘hood winked’

Letter writer wants a petition started against the last phase of bike lane
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For a few days, council voted to stop the $1.5 million last phase of the controversial bike lane through South Main St. But a flip flop re-vote by Coun. Ryan Graham sent the pedals back in motion. And just like Atkinson St. (as seen here) South Main will get bike lanes on either side of the street. (City of Penticton)

Dear Editor:

After watching Wednesday’s news hour, I can say I’m very much outraged, as I’m sure most citizens of Penticton are. This is regarding the “flip flop” vote to approve the lake to lake bike lanes. I feel we, the citizens, were hood winked by the very people we voted in. Personally, I voted for candidates that were opposed to the bike lanes. And I assume most other voters did the same thing. Now these elected officials have changed their minds. That’s fine. What’s not fine is instead of honouring their electoral promises, they’ve turned against them. Where is the moral and ethics in that ? If a council member was elected on a promise, the least they should do, even if they change their mind, is honour the promise they made on their election platform.

I strongly feel that the council is not representing the citizens of Penticton and most likely harbouring a hidden agenda. This motion for the bike lane should be halted, and a vote by the citizens should be brought forth with a motion and approved, and this decision is what should stand. Not what these crooked politicians are forcing down our throats.

I won’t be here next week to attend the council meeting so I can’t bring this up there. Perhaps a petition can be started but I don’t know how to start these.

I just can’t turn a blind eye to this.

Alyson Nerker

Penticton