On Friday, December 16, BC Ferries’ Queen of Burnaby returned to the Powell River to Comox run. With the Burnaby returning to service the schedule returns to its usual times. The vessel departs from Little River at 6:30 and 10:10 am and 3:15 and 7:15 pm daily. Departures from Westview are scheduled for 8:10 am and noon, 5:15 and 8:45 pm daily.
The Burnaby has been undergoing a refit since September 26, the cost of which is estimated to have been $12 million. Queen of Chilliwack, which replaced the Burnaby during its refit, will now be undergoing phase two of a life-extension project, starting in January 2012.
The refit on the Burnaby included an overhaul of the generators, port main engine, bow thruster and propulsion system, along with modernization of the elevator system, steel renewal of the main car deck, installation of a new sewage treatment holding tank, abatement of asbestos, new flooring in the washrooms and regulatory surveys.
“We want to thank our Powell River customers for their patience for the past three months while a smaller vessel provided service on their route,” said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries executive vice-president and chief operating officer. “We are pleased to make this major investment to the Queen of Burnaby to ensure its safety and reliability for years to come.”
