Bus shelters, signs and safety

Iqaluit city councillors learned this week that there can be a huge cost to ensuring comfort and safety.

According to estimates, it will cost up to $20,000 to buy and ship just one eight-person bus shelter. Due to the high cost, council decided to look at alternatives, including sponsorship of bus shelters and joint ordering with other municipalities.

Councillors also looked at the potentially steep cost, and other implications of producing municipal signs in English, Inuktitut and French.

Council had been considering the adoption of a bilingual safety sign bylaw that would see safety signs posted in English and Inuktitut.

But many said French should clearly be included on such signs.

The bylaw, in its final reading at council, was also sent back for more consideration because many felt the wording was unclear about what signs should appear in which languages, and whether all signs should be in all languages used in Iqaluit — English, French and Inuktitut.

Council decided to see what the costs associated with this move to signs in three languages would be, as some signs, such as the recently received road name signs, are only in English and Inuktitut.

In a move to improve public safety, the council also asked for more information about the placing of bus stops after intersections that might be unsafe due to slippery conditions and traffic.

A motion was also passed to erect a three-way stop at the intersection by the Navigator Inn.