I have always been against this unwanted and unneeded roundabout in our community, which is why I have lobbied to have this project killed.

Despite the East End being in desperate need of major infrastructure investments, this roundabout is nothing but a safety hazard for our residents that will cost us millions of dollars. To make matters worse, City Hall will now spend nearly almost a million dollars more than planned prior to construction even commencing.

When columnist Walter Robinson wrote “…seems city planners underestimated the costs (are we surprised?)”, no truer words were ever spoken.

But are we surprised?

This is the same City Hall that had a bus garage costing $50 million but turned it into almost $100 million garage. Moreover, this is the same City Council that wants to build a $2.1 Billion LRT plan that will never bring the train to either Orléans or Cumberland.

In this light, I have to ask if City Council cannot manage a bus garage or roundabout without skyrocketing costs to these projects, why would we trust them to move forward with a LRT project that will cost in the billions?

But that’s a different story.

What’s not so different is that Councillor Rob Jellett voted for the Orléans Roundabout Boondoggle during the budget deliberations on Thursday, January 28, 2010. Not surprisingly Councillor Jellett also voted for the $2.1 billion LRT plan that never has the train coming to Orléans and Cumberland. What have east end residents done to be treated with such terrible leadership.

Perhaps, Councillor Jellett knows how the roundabout will handle OC Transpo buses and 18-wheelers or how it will reduce travel time for taxpayers. Or perhaps why the community with North America's highest transit ridership per capita doesn't deserve the same treatment as residents downtown.

In the end, I believe this roundabout is further evidence that City Council is in desperate need of change and leadership. On October 25, 2010, taxpayers across the East End will have a clear choice about which candidates should earn their trust for the next four years: change or more of the same.

Stephen Blais