Whether you agree with opponents of a road through Hawthorne Park or not, their dedication cannot be denied.
Take, for example, 性视界传媒鈥檚 Trevor Cox. He stood in front of a bright orange excavator and told the Now-Leader he plans to stand there all day and is willing to be arrested, if need be.
鈥淚鈥檓 willing to go to jail for it,鈥� he told us.
Cox said as he made his stand, workers yelled at him, asking if he鈥檚 willing to risk his life for the trees.
鈥淎nd I said, 鈥榶es I do.鈥欌��
VIDEO: Meet the protestor who blocked an excavator from tree-clearing work in Hawthorne Park today.
鈥� 性视界传媒 Now-Leader (@性视界传媒NowLeader)
Then there鈥檚 Tracie Woodhams, one of about a dozen protesters at the park on Tuesday morning. She was angry. And tired.
鈥淵ou have no idea how exhausted some of us are with all of the stuff we have had to do, all the hoops we have had to jump through,鈥� said Woodhams, who held high a yellow sign that read 鈥淪ave Hawthorne Park,鈥� cars honking as they went by.
鈥淎nd the fact it appears as if nobody is listening.鈥�
There鈥檚 Richard Landale, who told the Now-Leader he was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥� as chainsaws could be heard in Hawthorne Park. He says council wants LRT 鈥渁t any price 鈥� the environment is the price.鈥�
There鈥檚 Roslyn Cassells, who took on the city in Supreme Court this week, in an effort to halt the controversial road planned through the park.
While she was unsuccessful in that effort, her passion and drive must be commended, as should the people listed above.
Regardless of whether you agree with their cause, in a democracy, that kind of civic passion is not commonly mustered. It鈥檚 healthy. It鈥檚 important. It鈥檚 needed.
性视界传媒, along with countless other municipalities, has seen woefully low voter turnout and engagement at the civic level.
In November 2014, about 35 per cent of 性视界传媒鈥檚 registered voters cast their votes and elected all nine 性视界传媒 First members to run this city.
Richard Langdale asks why the gate around Hawthorne Park works closed after media and opponents initially allowed in. No answer.
鈥� Amy Marie Reid (@amyreid87)
In 2011 and 2008, the numbers were even lower, when about 25 and 24.1 per cent of eligible voters took part in the election, respectively.
We want to see voter turnout spike this year.
Let鈥檚 encourage and celebrate the passion being displayed by the people trying to 鈥楽ave Hawthorne Park,鈥� including the group鈥檚 leader Steven Pettigrew. These people love their community and they care about its future.
Regardless of where you stand on this issue, we hope you participate in the dialogue as the election campaigns ramp up.
And please 鈥� please 鈥� get out and vote.
edit@surreynowleader.com
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