Sherry Baird feels like sheB次元官网网址檚 battling Goliath as she tries to keep a laneway access to her View Royal home.

An unpaved strip of land separates her Prince Robert Drive backyard from property on Island Highway that the Town bought for its future fire hall.

Accessible from Heddle Drive, the lane dead-ends behind BairdB次元官网网址檚 property where her husband parks a commercial truck for his construction business.

Officially itB次元官网网址檚 BC Hydro right-of-way land, though a handful of neighbours want to buy it and establish a private road. But the Town has the right of first refusal to purchase the property.

Mayor Graham Hill confirmed the Town is negotiating with Hydro to buy the land. He was tight lipped about future plans for the property.

B次元官网网址淭his is a work in progress, and it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be proper for me to speculate what will or wonB次元官网网址檛 be done there,B次元官网网址� Hill said.

He did say he couldnB次元官网网址檛 guarantee the road access would be maintained.

Baird is afraid the strip will be lumped into the firehall property or designated as a park B次元官网网址� closing out vehicle access in both scenarios.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e already building a fire hall in our backyard, and they have to take this from us too?B次元官网网址� Baird lamented.

She has a petition ready to present at the June 21 council meeting with signatures of property owners opposed to the Town buying the land. The petition also opposes a proposed bylaw to change the designation of municipal property at the north end of Heddle Avenue, where a walking trail connects to the Island Highway, from a road right-of-way to a park. The parkB次元官网网址檚 boundary would extend just far enough to block the access road.

Baird says the petition is just the beginning. She plans to take the Town to court if sheB次元官网网址檚 prevented from using the lane.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 become my personal crusade,B次元官网网址� she said, opening a filing box with three years of correspondence with the town, neighbours and other stakeholders about the lane. B次元官网网址淚f they think IB次元官网网址檒l give up fighting this, I wonB次元官网网址檛. IB次元官网网址檒l keep at this until our access is guaranteed.B次元官网网址�

Hill said the Town needs to act in the best interest of all its residents and fears turning the lane over to private buyers could cause trouble down the road.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 want to set a precedent of that sort,B次元官网网址� Hill said.

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