City of Powell River council voted to partner with BC Transit and local ratepayers groups to build two new bus shelters.
At the June 3 city council meeting, councillors considered a revised motion to provide financial assistance for the bus shelters, to be located close to Westview Elementary School, at Nootka Street and Quadra Avenue, and on Barnet Street in the proximity of FreshCo.
When the proposition was originally raised at the May 27 finance committee, the committee had recommended that council allocate $12,000, which was 20 per cent of the project cost, to the locating of the two bus shelters, with BC Transit covering the other 80 per cent. However, a revised motion came up at the city council meeting, requesting that council approve up to $3,000 for pad installation for the bus shelters, to be funded from the COVID-19 safe restart reserve.
Chief administrative officer Russell Brewer said there had been a recent Powell River Community Forest approval for grants to go to local ratepayers groups for funding for transit shelters. Brewer said concurrently, city staff had been working with BC Transit and had received approval for funding for the two shelters.
“Those were kind of going on at the same time so it wasn’t obvious there would be community forest approval for the ratepayers associations’ ask,” said Brewer. “Since the finance committee, staff did reach out and confirmed with the ratepayers that they were keen on funding the 20 per cent portion for the two shelters that have been approved by BC Transit. What that leaves is the estimated cost for the pad installation itself.
“The ratepayers are willing to put forward the $9,600 portion for the two shelters, which would cover the city’s 20 per cent portion. That would leave another $26,400 for the community forest grant that the ratepayers intend to put toward further shelters. They are going to continue fundraising to try and meet their goals.”
Brewer said the suggested recommendation is tweaked to reduce the city’s contribution from $12,000 to $3,000 and just reference pad installation.
Mayor Dave Formosa said he wanted to express great appreciation to the ratepayers.
Councillor George Doubt said this is a good solution.
“We’re getting two bus shelters and we’re getting cost-share money from BC Transit, and we’re getting cost-share money from the community forest that’s coming through the ratepayers associations, and the cost of two new bus shelters is going to be a maximum of $3,000 to the city,” said Doubt. “We’re saving $9,000 and some in the COVID-19 relief fund so we’re going to be able to do a lot of good things at very little cost to the taxpayer.”
Councillor Jim Palm said these two locations are very well used and at the top of his list.
“They’re great locations,” said Palm. “Hat’s off to the ratepayers and the community forest.”
