Resident fights to put brakes on speeders

Erick van den Akker, who lived in the Wilhaven Drive area previously but returned almost four years ago and purchased a home, suggests though posted speed limits in his area top out at 80 km/h, he’s seen drivers racing more than double that along the road.

“It’s a nice, rolling area,” van den Akker describes of the stretch of roadway, which he wants to see made a 60km/h zone. “They’re going really fast.”

Though his home is set back several hundred metres from the road, having horses on the property means he’s often working near Wilhaven, he recounts, and witnessing first-hand speeders along the street.

Especially in a neighbourhood with so many children, safety is a huge issue, van den Akker continues, pointing to his own daughters – aged 13 and 16 – not being allowed to cycle or ride horses on the road. Even for himself as an avid cyclist and runner, “you almost have to dive into the ditch (when you’re on Wilhaven) because they just don’t slow down,” he adds.

Having brought the issue to municipal attention for the past two years – and with others in the neighbourhood going so far as to create a petition asking for lower speed limits – van den Akker admits he’s seen an increased police presence in the area, including speed traps along nearby Frank Kenny Road.

“They pull over a couple people from time to time,” he says. “Nothing even happened (with the petition). Why is it such a futile thing?”

The most recent response from city staff, according to van den Akker – via Cumberland Coun. Rob Jellett – was that since the majority of drivers along Wilhaven do 80 km/h, that should be the appropriate speed limit. Van den Akker refutes those numbers, however, estimating the average speed closer to 100 km/h.

“It’s kind of silly,” he says of that rationale, adding he hasn’t received any other explanation from the city beyond that. “I drive 60 (to my home from Frank Kenny) and people just pass me like nothing.”

With a move to 60 km/h, most drivers would likely do 80 km/h on Wilhaven, he suggests, mimicking other sections of nearby roads with that lower limit. Van den Akker also points to recent movements in other residential neighbourhoods to lower many 50 km/h limits to 40 km/h, questioning why his area shouldn’t have the same.

“I think it would solve a lot of problems,” he continues. “It would go a long way.”

Calls to Coun. Jellett were not returned by press time.