We love that on Bowen Island we can lie on the grass and watch the stars. Having no streetlights and little light pollution, the island is quietly cloaked in darkness every evening.
However, the lack of street lights means that school kids, mothers with strollers, seniors, dog walkers, cyclists, ferry passengers, people wearing ear buds and everyone who wears black outer clothing is in danger from passing cars.
When it’s mid-winter, dark and rainy, and school kids and commuters are converging on the 7:30 ferry, Snug Cove becomes treacherous for any pedestrian.
Many locals have stories about narrowly avoiding walkers on a dark night or being in immediate danger of being run over by a car, truck or bus.
We don’t want to become even more West Vancouver-like than we are right now but we need to save our lives.
So help is on the way!
Snug Cove House and the Rotary Club of Bowen Island are teaming up, thanks to a Knick Knack grant, to jar us all into wearing something to show that we are alive and well.
“Be bright at night on Bowen” is our catch-phrase.
To launch the campaign, at Bowfest this year the Rotary Club will be handing out free strobe lights that you can hook on to your jacket, your backpack, your hat or your bike, so come by our booth for your light!
This is just a start. ICBC will be holding a seminar on new driving rules for seniors at a Seniors Keeping Young session in October. Reflective tape, strobe lights and other reflective gear will be on show and available to all who attend the session.
The RCMP will be joining the campaign, so keep an eye open for more news on this front.
We will be looking for feedback and input on this issue, so please stop by the Rotary booth at Bowfest and tell us your ideas!
