Residents from outlying areas of Greater Sudbury hold protest to demand improved delivery of basic services

A group of protesters concerned about declining service levels in Sudbury's outlying communitiesmarched outside Tom Davies Square onTuesday.

With under three weeks to go before the municipal elections, a group of about sixsign bearers said they want mayoral candidates to address their concerns.

Improved delivery of basic services like police service patrols, transit and winter maintenanceare major concerns.

Arly Matthiesson, a tech worker recentlymoved from Dowlingfor a unit in Sudbury's west end. He said the eight candidates in Sudbury's mayoral race are missing a golden opportunity to attract small-town voters.

"Anyone who wants to come forward and offer to say, 'Hey we'll improve services out in the outer regions' that will drum up support from those areas for them," he said.

"That's a dedicated voter base."

Matthiesson said transit is a big issue for him, since commuting from Dowling "was difficult to impossible."

"I'm bus dependent to get around," Matthiesson said.

He added that Dowling's bus service is sparse, at best.

"It's four hours between [buses] to catch a cab that brings us to another bus stop that then will connect us to the city."

ChantelleGorham, a business owner inOnaping Falls, who organized the march, said residents in that community are worried about safety because of fewer police patrols there.

"The police should know that we deserve a regular police presence," she said.

"They should know that with the number of accidents that have occurred in the general area that it should be a priority, but it's not," Gorham said, referring to recent accidents near a rail crossing on Highway 144.

"It's like pulling teeth to get them to acknowledge us."

Gorham said that since Greater Sudbury amalgamated nearly two decades ago, the conditions of sidewalks, streets and parks in Onaping havealso noticeably declined.

"We really feel that we aren't being heard or seen and our communities certainly reflect that."

Three mayoral candidates Miranda Rocca-Circelli, Devin Labranche and Don Gravellespoke to the protesters at the rally.

"I think what they're here for is desperately needed," Gravelle said. "The further out you go, the less they feel that the city hears what they're saying."

Gravelle has heard about fire safety concerns in Whitefish and Beaver Lake in the western part of Greater Sudbury, where he said the fire department is "half-staffed."

"It's getting to a critical concern for safety of residents of this city," he said.

The municipal election is Oct.24.