NORD holds firm on bus plan

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 03, 2010 12:00 PM

The chairman of the North Okanagan Regional District believes the City of Vernon will have a tough time collecting bus fare from all of its directors. The city, at its last regular council meeting, agreed to fund expansion of B.C. Transit’s UBC Okanagan route, doubling the runs from four to eight and adding a second bus. All UBCO routes will also include stops at the Kelowna Airport. The cost of adding four runs and a second bus, without the regional district on board, would be approximately $100,400 for Vernon, and that could rise to $116,400 without a $16,000 contribution from the District of Lake Country. Had the regional district agreed to expansion, they would have contributed $88,400, the City of Vernon would chip in $12,000, Lake Country would likely make a donation of $16,000 and the District of Coldstream would add $3,600. While the city agreed to the expansion, several councillors felt that the regional district should also kick in some cash.

“I can’t speak for all of the directors on this subject, only for electoral area F, but we all bellied up and supported the first bus,” said Grindrod’s Herman Halvorson, NORD chair. “As for the second bus, I don’t think I have any residents or have heard of any resident that even ride any bus or the first bus. “I would have trouble funding the second bus from my area F perspective.” The District of Coldstream believes the additional UBCO runs make sense, but wants some statistical verification. “We want to get back some information from B.C. Transit on what the ridership is,” said Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick. “It’s one thing to take word-of-mouth that it’s full all the time. We want to see some actual numbers, where the people riding the bus are coming from and how many are on there.” B.C. Transit said expanding the route was the top priority in the province due to significant demand. Garlick wants to see his district invited to transit conversations with the authority. “As a partner, we haven’t been included in B.C. Transit initiatives when they change things,” he said. “Just to send us the bills isn’t enough.” To justify the UBCO expansion, Garlick believes regional co-operation will be needed.

Mike Gavinchuk, NORD area B BX-Swan Lake and Commonage director, plans to make a contribution. “I could see where people from Enderby and Lumby don’t want to chip in because anybody travelling from there, once they’re in the car it’s only another half-hour to the campus,” said Gavinchuk. “But for our area I want to chip in for sure.”