Editor:

With regard to an article in the March 28, 2012 edition of Lakes District ÑÇÖÞÌìÌÃ, in which MLA Rustad was answering some questions in regard to development money coming into the area to assist, in light of the Babine Forest Products sawmill tragedy.

In the course of the article he mentioned about planned paving of Hwy. 16 from Tintagel to Priestly Hill and referenced the contractors who paved the 12 kilometres from Tintagel to ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake last year, he praised their work and indicated that they would be considered for this project.

My question is, in all his visits to ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà Lake why has he not noticed that this section of new pavement, which is only five months old, is failing in numerous places, even potholes are appearing throughout?

Within one week after this pavement was laid the contractor proceeded to patch the new pavement, there was a letter to the editor published in the Lakes District ÑÇÖÞÌìÌà from a member of the public, asking why was it necessary to patch new pavement.

Believe it or not someone from the Ministry answered, telling us this was high quality work and the patches were preventative patches.

How fortuitous, because almost everywhere there was a patch the road is failing or potholes are developing.

What has happened to oversight, how could this job get passed as high quality, or has the standard for the life of pavement changed from years to months?

I doubt that this standard of work would be acceptable south of Hope.

I hope the taxpayers are not going to be footing the bill for the remedial work that will almost certainly be required to try and save this pavement.

We can only hope that the funds being made available to this community in light of the sawmill tragedy, will receive proper oversight, and be spent on quality work that will last long into the future.

Yours Sincerely

Aidan Carroll