For the next four months, Bowen Island ferry users will be travelling between Horseshoe Bay and Snug Cove on a substitute vessel while the Queen of Capilano gets a $12-million facelift.
The Bowen Queen will provide service between the island and the mainland until May 5. The vehicle capacity of the Bowen Queen is lower than that of the Queen of Capilano and, as such, the ferry corporation is providing extra services to help mitigate the potential for overloads, according to a B.C. Ferries press release. This includes a direct-to-downtown bus shuttle, discounted parking at Horseshoe Bay terminal, additional sailings and assured loading for highoccupancy vehicles during afternoon rush hour sailings to Bowen Island.
The Queen of Capilano's mid-life upgrade includes safety and mechanical improvements to prepare the vessel for another 20 years of service. The project will also see the addition of gallery decks, which will increase the capacity from 85 to 100 vehicles, and a foot passenger entrance/exit with a ramp for loading and unloading at Horseshoe Bay.
