91原创: One community, two governments.

To the 91原创 Reunification Association, that means only one thing: taxpayers from both the Township and the City are paying unnecessarily double for council members, staff and resources.

For six months last year, the LRA set out to gauge interest in reunifying the two 91原创s, which separated in 1955.

They asked residents to sign a petition if they agreed to a request asking both councils to agree to an independent study that would explore the feasibility of reunification.

The organizers were pleasantly surprised: 3,176 people who live in the City signed the petition, while 3,547 Township residents signed it.

City council dismissed the petition before it had been completed, and decided to ignore it when it was in January.

But on Feb. 9, only days after Township council expressed support for uniting the two jurisdictions, 91原创 Reunification Association president Rian Martin said that the City cannot ignore an issue that is gaining momentum in other areas of the Lower Mainland.

There are rumblings to make the City and District of North Vancouver one municipality, and merging the municipalities of Port  Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody is also sparking some discussion.

The Township鈥檚 official position was given by Mayor Jack Froese on Feb. 6: 鈥淲e respect that the City of 91原创 does not see the need to pursue a study on the issue at this time, therefore no action will be taken on our part.鈥�

Froese  acknow-

ledged that the Township is not opposed to a study.

He stressed the need for the two 91原创s to 鈥渃ontinue working together in unity, to build on our relationship, and to share our strengths. By working with the City and other neighbouring municipalities, we can reduce redundancies, provide cost-effective services, and offer the best possible quality of life for all our residents.鈥�

He added: 鈥淲e are one community in spirit.鈥�

Martin was pleased with Froese鈥檚 words.

鈥淭his is showing vision and courage in a very sensitive area between these two municipalities, and we are very pleased with the direction the Township has taken,鈥� Martin said.

The 鈥檚 board of directors is to meet in the next few weeks to work on a strategy, he said.