Waterdown residents divided as city plans to remove long-standing bollards

A unique road block has residents of a Waterdown street divided. The city has decided to remove a set of bollards that have been in place for years, leaving some home owners concerned about increased traffic and safety.
The bollards are located on Fellowes Crescent in Waterdown and have been up for eight years. A resident in the area, Steve Oliver wants them to stay.
“There’d be too much traffic from 71 houses on that side of the bollard because all services in Waterdown are in your direction,” said Oliver.
But the city says they were always meant to be temporary, and councillors voted unanimously this week to take them out.
“The removal won’t be happening without further consultation with that community, to ensure we’re enhancing it from a safety perspective that everybody is satisfied with,” said Carolyn Ryall from the city.
Oliver says residents don’t feel like they’re being treated fairly, and he feels like the bollards are being stolen from the neighbourhood.
On the other hand, one resident says the bollards prevented ambulances from getting to her house when her family needed them on several occasions.
“It’s very scary when you see your child turning blue and you see emergency vehicles having to back up and having to go around I don’t think there’s anything scarier than that,” said Kensey Garlick.
Garlick admits she’s also concerned about the potential for increased traffic but she still wants the bollards gone.
As for the bollards, the city says they will come out by the fall, and be replaced with another traffic slowing measure like a speed bump.