Residents petition for permanent closure of east end of 30th Avenue

Residents living along the 30th Avenue hill, formerly known as Suicide Hill, liked what they didn’t hear or see, when the road was closed for a renewed Vernon grad class tradition.

A portion of the steep hill was closed to uphill traffic this year so grads could paint on it, a practice which was last done in 1981. There were no speeders and traffic was quieted.

Earlier this month the paint was pressure washed off the hill and it was reopened to traffic.

Heath Anderson lives along 30th Avenue and garnered the support of 15 neighbours in a petition to reclose the road permanently which was delivered to the City of Vernon.

“It would increase safety for children and pedestrians — a closure would effectively calm traffic in the neighbourhood and reduce speeding,” Anderson said. “I’ve never slept so well.”

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“Too many speeders,” petitioner Herb Lee said.

“It’s much better as a pedestrian park,” Ian Hawes said.

The downhill lane of that portion of 30th Avenue was closed several years ago due to safety concerns, and converted to park.

City council received the petition for information, and will deal with it later, once a look at East Hill access and traffic patterns can be assessed.