“Today it’s a kitten. Tomorrow it could be a child.”
Telegraph Road resident Judy Nikirk doesn’t mince words when it comes to speeders on her street.
“I live right near Bench School on Telegraph Road,” she explained. “My neighbours and myself are very concerned about the increase of traffic on this road, which we can’t do anything about, but somebody has to do something about the speeders.”
Nikirk has already lost her cat to a speeding car.
It happened about three weeks ago.
“Didn’t even stop. Just kept on going,” she said of the driver.
She admits she is fearful of what could happen next and is seeking help to create some type of change.
“What we’d like is for Mainroad to put up some signs but they won’t do that,” she said. “I went to ICBC to get some of those yellow signs and they didn’t have any. I’m getting a little cranky about it.”
While she’s keen to have South Cowichan Community Policing’s Speed Watch volunteers do a shift on the street, she isn’t so sure it would be enough.
“That’s all fine and dandy for half a day but what about the rest of the time?” she wondered. “We figured if we put it in the newspaper, number one it might slow them down, and number two it should spread the word.”
Nikirk hopes to touch base soon with Cowichan Bay director Lori Iannidinardo and get something worked out.
Iannidinardo said she’s been working with Nikirk’s neighbour on the issue but has yet to hear from Nikirk herself.
“We have been working with Mainroad, I believe they put some signs up, and they fixed the crosswalk lines on the road,” said the area director.
She said the Speed Watch program actually would go a long way to curbing speeders in the area.
“The most important thing, what would really work and be more valuable is more volunteers to do the Speed Watch.”
Iannidinardo said South Cowichan Community Policing lacks volunteers.
“It’s the eyes in the community is what we need,” she said. “There hasn’t been anybody that’s come forward.”
For programs like that to work, the boards need to be out and visible.
Iannidinardo said she did a shift with the speed readerboard when school started last September and hope others will consider doing the same.
“If we could get more people I think that would make a difference,” she said.
Those interested can contact South Cowichan Community Policing at 250-929-7222 or visit southcowichancommunitypolicing.ca