City council directs staff to sign agreement to provide structures for transit users
City of Powell River Council is in support of the construction of bus shelters at the Powell River Town Centre mall bus exchange.
At the December 5 city council meeting, director of infrastructure Tor Birtig said the exchange was relocated from the north end of the mall to the west side, and construction was completed in 2024. He said, however, shelters were not included in the initial phase of construction. Following suggestions from transit users, the city pushed forward to provide shelters for this area, he added.
“Through communication with BC Transit staff, we applied to the shelter program so we could reduce costs for these shelters by 80 per cent,” said Birtig. “We have an estimate of costs for three shelters that we feel will be initially adequate for our customers. Those three shelters would be provided by BC Transit with funding of approximately $118,000.
“The 20 per cent that the city would be responsible for is approximately $30,000, but as well, the city would be responsible for installation costs.”
Birtig said the cost was dependent on the volume and style of shelters. He added that the city would be responsible for maintenance and care of the shelters on behalf of BC Transit. BC Transit would be the owner for the first 10 years and following that, ownership would be relayed to the city, according to Birtig, valued at $1,500 per year.
“We would like to engage in a partnership with BC Transit, as well as the mall owners, to install three shelters at the exchange to provide additional comfort for BC Transit users,” said Birtig. “What we are looking for is an amendment to our five-year financial plan, as well as a council recommendation to sign the shelter agreement with BC Transit.”
In the recommendation for council, there was $40,000 recommended from Powell River Community Forest as the city’s contribution.
Councillor Cindy Elliott said there is a shortage of washroom services for bus drivers, and she was wondering if that has been addressed. Birtig said there is an informal agreement with the mall owners that they would provide a washroom for the transit drivers, where the city would be required to provide maintenance and janitorial services.
Councillor Earl Almeida asked if the shelters would be the same standard size as the bus shelters located in other parts of the city, or would they be bigger because this is a bus exchange. Birtig said he understood they would be a bit bigger, with solar LED lights. He said city staff would continue to monitor the shelters to determine whether they were adequate.
Almeida then asked about advertising prospects on the shelters to help cover the costs of maintaining the shelters. Birtig said he understands advertising could be placed on the shelters, but there are conditions required so that advertising is not blocking the view of drivers into the shelter. He added that the city did not have a marketing department to pursue advertising.
“It is something we can further review to see if there is a possibility of garnering further revenue for transit,” said Birtig.
Councillor Trina Isakson said the cost of the shelters seems expensive, considering the size. She asked if BC Transit required the use of their shelters to their standards.
“Granted, they are paying for most of it, but can you describe the origin of the costs for those specific shelters?” asked Isakson.
Birtig said these are standard shelters BC Transit recommends for longevity. He said the price is in keeping with the costs of other shelters around the city.
Council carried a motion to amend the city’s five-year financial plan for $158,178 in 2025 for three transit shelters, funded through a $118,178 BC Transit grant and $40,000 from the Powell River Community Forest reserve fund.
Councillor Jim Palm asked when construction on the bus shelters would begin. Birtig said his understanding is that the shelters are a few months away. He anticipated early spring.
Council then carried a motion directing staff to sign the transit shelter agreement with BC Transit, and to notify the Powell River Community Forest board of council’s intended use of the reserve fund for the transit shelters at the Town Centre mall.
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