A new float could soon be built in Langdale giving much relief to island residents.
At the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) infrastructure services committee meeting on July 2, Brian Sagman, manager of transportation and facilities, said he is close to an agreement with B.C. Ferries to build a float beside the existing Langdale float.
The board was pleased with the news, but did raise some concerns.
Halfmoon Bay director Garry Nohr said the plan had a lot of "ifs" related to funding.
Sagman said grants, including the Community Adjustment Fund, could pay for it, but Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk said the fund is over subscribed with far more applications than what it can afford to pay out.
At the Gambier Keats Ferry advisory committee meeting held on July 2 in Gibsons, Rob Clarke, chief financial officer for B.C. Ferries, said, "There's been some progress and I'm happy to see it."
He said B.C. Ferries has been trying to "get the SCRD's attention for years" and that the need for a float separate from their private dock is not a new subject.
Clarke said by putting the closure date in place the SCRD was forced to find a solution. Clarke said he is open to extending the closure date of Oct. 15 so long as he sees the SCRD moving ahead with a plan.
E-tickets
Just as Experience Cards have replaced paper tickets on the major routes, B.C. Ferries is looking for a way to eliminate paper on the four minor routes.
Islanders will soon know if a trial electronic ticketing system will work, thus eliminating paper tickets on the Stormaway that services Gambier and Keats islands.
The Denman-Hornby and Quadra-Cortes routes are using the new program for about six months, and if all goes well, the program will be extended to Gambier-Keats as well.
Summer schedule
There was much discussion around the loss of the commuter sailing at 5:30 p.m. in the summer schedule and starting the summer sailing schedule a month earlier than usual in order to alleviate overcrowding and delays on Route 3.
The committee heard that on-time performance (OTP) is the number one complaint that the corporation receives. The dramatic increases in summer-time travel is also an issue.
"We simply can't manage the schedule with the traffic that we have," said Captain Dale Phipps, marine superintendent for the central coast region.
Out of the entire B.C. Ferries' major routes fleet, Phipps said, Route 3 is leading in OTP. He also said that due to high traffic volumes and delays that build up over the course of the day, the 5:30 sailing becomes a 5:50 p.m. sailing anyway.
Janyk said something must be done to remedy the situation or "it is going to drive people on the Sunshine Coast off it."
Gibsons Coun. LeeAnn Johnson said there is more at play influencing the loss of young working adults and families on the Coast.
"It's an issue that's beyond B.C. Ferries in some ways. There is an economic bigger picture," said Johnson. "Once the B.C. Ferry Corporation has done what they can [with the schedule] we need ammunition to take to other ministries so we can use it at other levels [to affect change]."
- With files from
Brent Richter
