At the last Regional Park meeting in March there was a motion put forth and passed to request that the exterior road that goes around the outside and through the north east part of the Regional Park be closed to through traffic.
"Over the years there have been several accidents on this road and to many to count near misses. We at the park receive several complaints a season about this road. From the information we have been able to get the road itself is not a legally recognized road and some of it is on city property and some of it is in the Regional Park." said Chairperson of the Melville and District Regional Park Tyrone Mogenson.
"Also from what we can gather there used to be a gate out by the highway that use to be locked and that used to be the access to the park. Part of the Regional Park property is on the northeast side of this road. It is an area that we were contemplating turning into a tenting area. "
The Melville Regional Park Board is proposing that gates be installed at the east side of the off leash dog park and at the highway.
Safety being the main concern of the Regional Park board members in the decision to close the road. There are several walking trails and bike paths that are adjacent to and cross the road in several spots along this road. There are several hundred people that walk in this area weekly both to and from the park as well as campers staying within the park. The disc golf course that was installed in the park several years ago and the Regional Park is on both sides of this road. When the disc golf course has tournaments there is an extreme amounts of foot traffic in this area.
"In closing this road would also help with security within the park area as well as our shop area and compound." says Mogenson.
The road is used at all hours of the day and night for a "race track" which in turn has almost caused accidents in the area. At this time local traffic authorities could not find a report stating there has ever been an reported accident on this road. They did however say that there have been several people ticketed for speeding and stunting on this road in the past.
The Regional Park would work in conjunction with the Public Works Dept and would be willing to cost share this endeavor.
