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Putting in obstacles might stop future incidents of vandalism like this previous weekend’s, stated Granville Island’s basic supervisor Tom Lancaster, and in addition deter suicides, which is ‘the larger subject’
![VANCOUVER, BC., February 26, 2024 - Scenes from the North end of the Granville Bridge as businesses on Granville Island are looking for better safety measures after construction materials were thrown from the Granville Street Bridge on Saturday morning , in Vancouver, B.C., on February 26, 2024. (NICK PROCAYLO/PNG) [PNG Merlin Archive]](https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/vancouversun/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/png0226nbridge-03.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=71afM9mjk-Uy4bBJLoPUIQ)
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Companies on Granville Island banded collectively Monday, notifying Vancouver metropolis council of the pressing want for fencing on the Granville Road Bridge to discourage suicides and vandals who throw issues off the construction.
“We’re happy to see that this metropolis council has made public security a spotlight of its mandate,” says the letter addressed to Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver council. “With that in thoughts, we urge you to take quick motion as a part of your Granville connector mission to guard human life and the small companies that function on Granville Island.”
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The difficulty of fabric falling from the bridge and inflicting harm or harm on Granville Island has come up through the years, most lately when vandals apparently threw development supplies off the bridge final weekend, damaging constructions on the island.
“Incidents like this, mixed with particles falling from the getting old Granville Bridge itself, imply that the dangers to folks and the buildings on Granville Island are mounting. As beforehand shared with metropolis workers, falling particles is an everyday prevalence, and it’s only a matter of time till somebody is severely injured or worse,” says the Feb. 26 letter. It was signed by representatives of 15 organizations, together with a number of of Granville Island’s largest companies and non-profits in addition to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Company, which manages Granville Island for the Authorities of Canada.
Granville Island’s basic supervisor, Tom Lancaster, has been urging council for years to put in excessive fencing on the edges of the bridge.
Putting in obstacles might stop future vandalism like this previous weekend’s, Lancaster stated, and in addition deter suicides, which is the “way more vital” subject.
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“It’s basically a city-owned asset, and it’s totally their accountability to keep up it and keep public security,” Lancaster stated.
In early 2023, work started on what the town calls the Granville connector mission, which incorporates taking the 2 westernmost of the bridge’s eight lanes of automobile visitors and changing them to separated strolling, rolling and biking routes. That work is predicted to finish by later this 12 months.
Suicide-prevention fencing was “recognized as a precedence” through the public engagement earlier than the town selected a ultimate design for the Granville connector mission, Vancouver’s basic supervisor of engineering providers Lon LaClaire stated Monday.
Nevertheless, “with monetary constraints, together with these associated to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the town determined to do the primary part of the mission specializing in transportation upgrades, with out the fencing, LaClaire stated in an emailed assertion.
“With the excessive price to put in ‘means prevention fencing’ on the bridge as a result of size (together with ramps) and weight limitations, fencing was not included within the first part, nevertheless, the town is in ongoing discussions relating to funding for ‘means prevention’ measures for Granville Bridge with Vancouver Coastal Well being and senior ranges of presidency.”
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In 2019, the associated fee to construct the fencing on the Granville bridge was estimated to be between $8 million and $16 million, LaClaire stated, however as a consequence of price escalation and inflation, the town estimates that quantity might climb to between $10 million and $20 million.
Earlier this month, the Metropolis of Vancouver launched a lawsuit in opposition to three firms that accomplished a rehabilitation mission on the Granville Bridge, alleging defects and deficiencies of their work. The town’s allegations haven’t been confirmed or examined in court docket.
The cases of fallen particles from the Granville Bridge should not associated to the problems highlighted within the current lawsuit, a metropolis official stated Monday.
The town put in suicide prevention fencing on the close by Burrard Bridge in 2016. That work, which had an estimated funds of $3.5 million, was hailed by Vancouver Coastal Well being’s chief medical well being officer, who stated on the time that the “new fencing will save lives.”
Analysis has proven that suicide makes an attempt from bridges are sometimes impulsive, and if persons are deterred from leaping, they typically is not going to strive different technique of killing themselves.
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David McCann manages Creekhouse, a four-building complicated immediately beneath the bridge. Again in 2019, McCann spoke to Postmedia Information about chunks of metallic falling from the bridge.
This week, McCann stated that sort of particles has not been as a lot of an issue lately. Nevertheless, he stated, he’s more and more noticing what seems to be supplies unintentionally dropped by crews engaged on the bridge.
“I’ve obtained handfuls of nuts, bolts, screws, little items of concrete,” stated McCann, who additionally signed onto Monday’s urging council to pursue suicide-prevention fencing. “Stuff continues to rain down.”
• In the event you or somebody you recognize is contemplating suicide, assist is out there 24 hours a day by dialing the disaster hotline at 988 or 1-800-784-2433
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