Dr. Aref Tabarsi is sick and tired of trying to avoid potholes on his way to and from work.
Tabarsi lives along McIvor Lake Road and for four years has put up with the gravel road’s poor condition. Now he’s at the end of his rope and on Tuesday he plead his case in front of city council.
“For 500 metres the road is so full of potholes,” said Tabarsi. “They’re big enough that you could swim in them in the wintertime.”
Tabarsi wants the city to put up funding to pave the length of the road, which is asphalt for about 2.5 kilometres, up to the entrance to the upper beach parking lot, and serves seven residences and BC Hydro
The issue of paving McIvor Lake Road also came up at council last October. At that time, property owners said they would be pursuing a contribution from BC Hydro to help pay for paving costs, which the city expects would be $65,000.
Former city staffer Bill Halstead had recommended in a report to council that area residents could also pay for a portion of the cost to upgrade from gravel to pavement through a Local Area Service Tax, meaning the project costs would be recovered by a parcel tax against the benefiting properties.
The city could then pitch in 25 per cent of the capital costs.
But council never agreed to that option, instead voting to receive Halstead’s report.
And Tabarsi said on Tuesday night that BC Hydro has no interest in chipping in for paving either.
He said he’s upset the city isn’t following through on its responsibility of maintaining roads.
“If you don’t choose to asphalt it, then you have to regularly grade it,” said Tabarsi.
He said the condition of the road has also become a safety concern.
“For 500 metres I’m constantly on the wrong side of the road, trying to avoid potholes,” said Tabarsi.