The golf cart on city streets pilot project, which was announced to great fanfare by the Village of Chase and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in August, has drawn opposition in the village.
“A change to our community, of this size, should have been communicated more publicly to the citizens of Chase,” said Bryan Waterson, who is circulating a petition asking that the golf cart program be brought to a community vote.
Waterson’s petition was launched on Ipetitions.com Sept. 19 and drew 100 signatures in two days. The petition currently has 115 signatures.
Waterson is now circulating a paper copy of the petition to local businesses and says the online petition is not legal and supporters will have to sign a paper copy.
Waterson said he is particularly concerned with the lowering of the speed limit to 30 km/h on several of Chase’s main streets.
“I don’t think golf carts belong on the streets anywhere, they’re not crash tested. they’re not like other vehicles it’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Chase resident Lawrence Jonker, “a vehicle’s gonna drive right over a golf cart and people are dead right now.”
Jonker was skeptical the amount of people who use golf carts in Chase would exceed the number of people the plan inconveniences.
“This speed limit will be enforced 12 months a year. Why? You won’t see any golf carts in the winter months,” said Rob Dwyer, echoing the sentiments of several of his fellow Chase residents who have come out in opposition of the way the golf cart plan was introduced.
Village of Chase Corporate Officer Sean O’Flaherty said although the petition could influence Chase council it’s results are not binding.
“At this point the only way to change what’s in effect, that being the neighbourhood golf cart bylaw is to repeal it and the only way to do that is to go through the process of a motion, some readings and adoption. A petition itself is nothing but an indicator,” O’Flaherty said.
O’Flaherty added petitioners would have to convince someone on the Chase council to introduce a motion repealing the golf-cart program in order to reverse it.