The Coast Car Co-op has recruited the Town of Gibsons as a partner for a grant application that could help bring back the community shuttle bus and link the service to the co-op's car-share program.
Appearing before council's committee of the whole on Oct. 8, Coast Car Co-op acting executive director Johan Stroman said some of the funds from the age-friendly projects grant would be used to help pay for a shuttle bus service similar to the one that ran as a pilot project on weekends this summer.
"We're working under the assumption that you'd like to continue it for another year," Stroman told the committee.
Other monies from the grant would go toward community engagement and establishing parking places along the shuttle bus route for the car-share, so that people could use the bus to access one of the co-op's vehicles and reverse the process to get home.
Funds from the grant would also go toward one of the co-op's vehicle purchases.
The grant is offered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities and the provincial government for age-friendly planning and projects, up to $20,000.
With B.C. Transit finalizing its long-term plan for the region - and a community bus service for Gibsons at least three years away under the current draft transit plan - some councillors expressed concern about restarting the service this year.
"What happens the following year and the following year?" Coun. Gerry Tretick asked. "Because once we leap into the pond, we've got to start swimming, and to me that sounds like a commitment."
CAO Mani Machado said the grant application would be brought back to council for vetting and possible amendment.
