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Turn bus station into true terminal

I wish to thank the City of Red Deer for the upgrade of much of 32nd Street.Emboldened by city’s common sense and efficiency, may I suggest that if we are to encourage public transit use, Red Deer could use its Sorensen Station to accommodate Greyhound and Red Arrow Bus Lines? Of course, they will pay for the use.

I wish to thank the City of Red Deer for the upgrade of much of 32nd Street.

Emboldened by city’s common sense and efficiency, may I suggest that if we are to encourage public transit use, Red Deer could use its Sorensen Station to accommodate Greyhound and Red Arrow Bus Lines? Of course, they will pay for the use.

It will really help travellers to use city buses to catch buses going out of town and then arriving passengers to catch city buses to return home in seamless connectivity, instead of having to be driven to the private stations for out of town trips.

Besides, Red Arrow does not even have a station and uses the former Holiday Inn on 67th Street parking lot to carry on its business. I wrote to Red Arrow three years ago and they are still chewing the fat. This is Red Arrow’s third or fourth “station.”

Greyhound has a very smelly and tacky looking station and I have family who do not feel safe at night behind the station where buses arrive and depart from. Besides, groups of smokers light up within the prohibited zone, too. Late at night, there is nobody to manage the station.

Red Deer needs a central bus station like those in many countries where bus travel is widely used. We can cut car use to get to the different stations twice for each passenger departing or arriving. Read eco-friendly and conservation.

Additionally, could the city please remove the silly new lanes in front of Eastview Middle School? The new lanes restrict lanes and almost no bikes use the bike lanes. I have found alternate routes but they make for longer drives. This winter, the southbound lane reserved for bikes became a car lane, and I can’t blame drivers.

Finally, another pitch for the 22nd Street extension west to Molly Banister Drive. It can be done. From what I can see, it is no longer a wildlife corridor after the housing development west of the Living Stones Church. If necessary, a gentle overpass type can help animals move freely.

I know the 32nd Street stretch over Waskasoo Creek at Kin Canyon is a barrier and danger to wildlife, but nobody seems to be concerned. I have seen deer struck, killed, and left to be ground up by traffic on that stretch. Also, deer are seen struggling up the slope to the street only to dodge traffic contending with impatient drivers.

Nanda Sologar

Red Deer