Regarding “Committee supports pedestrian crosswalk study for Bloomfield and Wellington” by Chad Ibbotson in the March 22 edition of the Gazette…

A $15,000 study for a pedestrian crosswalk for Bloomfield and Wellington. Might I ask if they could do one in front of my house, as my post box is across the road?

Many years ago, I could stroll over to the mail box and never dodge a car. Now I need to do just that in both directions and I’m aging. Both councillors and developers call this progress, but in reality it is the loss of progress. Sometimes I need to speed out of the drive just to get in line to go shopping. Perhaps I need a stop light, now that would be progress for me.

There was a time people could drive into Picton or Wellington and park close to the store or bank without much trouble. Not any more, because we lost progress. We even had more hospital beds, quicker access to emergency and doctors. But not any more. Our town had character, it had coin operated parking meters right next to your parking spot. It seems that we are losing this as well.

In three years we will have a new plaza, new stop lights, new crosswalks, council will be discussing a Picton bypass, there will be 750 new homes and 1,500 extra cars on the streets. In our haste to populate the community we lose progress and character. I yearn for those days I stroll easily across the road to pick-up my mail.

Brian Mellor