Tags
- June 5 (Sun.)
- 12:00 to 1:00 PM
- University Blvd. & Marine Dr.
Management admits no ridership analysis was done before pulling the plug!
No Ridership Stats Nor Wreck Beach Stakeholder Consultation
Without any ridership statistics to back them up, or consultation with Wreck Beach Preservation Society (WBPS) stakeholders in Electoral District A of Metro Vancouver, Translink removed Bus Stop C-20 (University Boulevard and Marine Drive) this past month. If they had checked their ridership figures, they would have learned that 387,285 visitors used Trail 6 in 2015. Altogether, five trails accounted for a total of 528,796 users many of whom used the C-20 bus stop. Those visitors contribute over $60-million annually in goods and services at all levels of government. The former (C-20 or # 51924 NB (northbound)NW Marine Drive at University Blvd.) ( bus stop where naturists will gather on June 5 to protest Translink’s bureaucratic dictatorship, lies directly across from the head of Trail 6.
Public Input Before, Not After the Fact!
During the so-called public consultations on 87 locations last fall, Translink never specified C-20 nor did they advertise in the Vancouver Sun or Province which reaches areas outside the Metropolitan Vancouver area. The WBPS has promoted public input before not after the fact for the past 47 years! UBC advised Translink to contact us directly, which they ignored.
Translink Immune to Hardships they Cause-Time for Minister Fassbender to return Translink to the Mayors!!
Mia Pers, Translink Management, repeatedly claimed Translink has a responsibility for the safety of UBC students and with the escalation of sexual assaults on the UBC Campus, they felt they could better protect students and increase ridership by removing long-established C-20. We reminded her that our tax dollars pay Translink’s salaries. Thus, we should therefore be given the same weight as UBC students, staff, faculty and other community stakeholders. When Ms. Pers finally wrote to us officially after so-called consultation with upper management, UBC and the bus company after stalling for three weeks, the letter she sent us was nearly a carbon copy of the one sent to West Vancouver Libby Lodge wheelchair-bound resident, Pamela Best who unsuccessfully tried to stop the cutting of the bus stop to the wheelchair-bound pensioners of Libby Lodge.
For additional information:
Judy Williams, Chair, WBPS: 604-308-6336 (Cell); 604-856-9598 (Home); jewilliams1943@gmail.com /Marilyn Hogan, Vice Chair, WBPS: 604-879-0730
Welcome to Wreck Beach! 
Re C20 Bus — I support Translink on this issue. It’s hard to make a plausible case for reversing this decision.
Even if there had been the consultation that apparently wasn’t undertaken, it wouldn’t have changed the basic facts of the situation. The change resulted in improvements for many passengers on the C20 bus, including me. And for that I am pleased.
According to news reports the change in distance is one block or 280 metres. That’s a very minor change, especially in the context of the very challenging trip down the trail to Wreck Beach by anyone, even if they are people with disabilities.
If people are feeling well enough and motivated enough to travel to Wreck Beach, a 280 metre change between the old bus stop and the new one is not worth all the noise being made about the change.
And by the way, stripping naked as part of a protest embarrasses no one these days. It’s very old school.
If you support Translink, it is your decision. There is nothing to do with us.
280m is nothing for healthy people, but not for elderly people. People struggle to come up the trail and after that, 280m is a big difference.
If you think you are right, there is nothing to do with us. You don’t need to leave nasty comment like it. Just keep it in your mind!