Bylaw forces business to build $10K ‘sidewalk to nowhere’ in Smithers, B.C.
SMITHERS, B.C. — On a lonely stretch of pavement in Smithers, B.C., a black-and-white sign cautions passersby: “The end is near.”
But rather than warn of impending doomsday, the sign literally refers to the end of the sidewalk, just a 30-metre stroll away.
The “sidewalk to nowhere” outside North Central Plumbing and Heating is causing controversy in the small northwestern British Columbia town.
A local bylaw requires property owners with building permits of over $75,000 to construct public infrastructure, including sidewalks, outside their premises.