Closing the inner roadway to vehicular traffic a month earlier than usual is, no doubt, a good decision by the City of Charlottetown’s parks department.
The intent is to allow some of the walkers, runners and others to use the inner laneway and relieve congestion on the boardwalk during the “social (physical) distancing” restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
With the advent of warmer weather this time of year, people naturally want to get outside for exercise and sociability. And especially now as a break from being cooped up at home because of the health restrictions. Once the crisis is over, the inner laneway will likely be restricted to bicycles only for the remainder of the summer months.
As a regular boardwalker myself, I have noticed that the majority of vehicular traffic uses the outside lane (nearest to the boardwalk) when driving around the parkway. Since the inner lane is closed to vehicles from May to November anyway, perhaps it is time to consider (or re-consider?) closing it to vehicle traffic permanently.
As far as I can see there is no practical reason for vehicle traffic on the inner laneway. All of the park’s facilities and amenities, i.e the ball fields, tennis courts, playground and Kiwanis Dairy Bar, can be accessed from the outer lane. But, oh, I can just hear the alarm bells going off in the minds of those who don’t want any changes to the park, period!
David MacCallum,
Charlottetown
