Waiting for the bus isn't always fun, but with some help from the federal and provincial governments to the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), it is about to be more comfortable and convenient.
John Weston, member of Parliament for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, rode the bus on June 30 from Sunnycrest Mall to Roberts Creek Road to announce $371,083 in funding for Coast transit shelters.
Weston said the improvements will have numerous benefits from job creation to increasing the ease of using public transit and protecting the environment.
"Transportation is the backbone of getting people around. In a time when there's global economic uncertainty, we have to make sure we're supporting job creation," he said. "I think this announcement is part and parcel of an overall initiative to protect jobs, do things that are environmentally-friendly and encourage a sense of community."
Also on hand for the bus ride were SCRD board chair Donna Shugar and Barry Janyk, Gibsons Mayor and Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) executive.
The funds come from the federal Public Transit Fund and the provincial Public Transit Infrastructure Program and cover 100 per cent of the cost of the improvements.
Included in the improvements is construction of 25 new bus shelters along routes from Gibsons to Sechelt. The ones in the municipalities will be typical glass structures, while the ones in the more rural areas will be made locally from wood.
Ten new bus pullouts for improved safety of drivers and people waiting for the bus are now scheduled to be built as well.
Before the bus ride, Brian Sagman, manager of transportation and facility services for the SCRD, walked out on to Gibsons Way to demonstrate just how close passengers had to walk out to get on a bus and how little space there was for buses to safely pull over.
Some of the bus stops will also include solar powered light standards. Passengers can press a button to turn on an overhead light and press a second button, which sends a beam of light down the highway to let bus drivers know there are passengers waiting.
The Roberts Creek Road stop will also feature a bike locker that users can rent.
Shugar said she is thrilled with the funding and hopes the spruced up shelters will be an incentive for people to use transit on the Coast.
"First of all, it raises the profile. Second of all, it makes it a dry, safe, comfortable place to be, and so I think it will increase ridership. I think that's part of the goal," she said.
The SCRD has a goal to increase transit ridership by five per cent per year.
Janyk had high praise for the senior levels of government for stepping up to put some transportation funding into a relatively small community while competition for transportation funding is so tough.
"UBCM is grateful that this relatively minor operation is being considered. As a locally elected representative, I understand the importance of improvements that will enhance the system and as UBCM representative I am aware of just how fortunate we are to have this," he said. "It's the little things like that that will make people attracted to the system and use it."
