West Vancouver isn’t quite ready to get rolling with a series of potential infrastructure upgrades that could improve bus service in the area.
On Monday council voted to postpone discussion on enhancing to bus speed and reliability to September. Reasons for the delay include a lack of public input in the summer, and because the Ambleside local area plan hasn't yet been approved.
But Couns. Christine Cassidy and Nora Gambioli dissented. Cassidy said TransLink was being too prescriptive in it suggestions, which included removing some bus stops in Ambleside. And Gambioli said council should be moving forward with at least some of the upgrades sooner.
TransLink has made $4 million available to the district for the upgrades in 2025, staff said, adding that 80 per cent of buses are running slower today than they were five years ago. Last year, staff partnered with the transit provider to identify bus service projects along marine drive between 13th and 25th streets.
Those projects include filling in previously carved out bus bays at 21st and 22nd streets. A bus bulge that would extend the sidewalk on the north side of Marine Drive near 17th Street was also suggested.
A report also recommended removing a total of six bus stops near15th, 18th and 20th streets.
A detailed study of 15th and Marine proposed a number of changes, which include adding left-hand-turn bays off of Marine Drive.
Staff recommended that council approve all of the suggested changes.
Before its discussion on the matter, council heard from members of the public.
Referencing the in-the-works update to the Ambleside local area plan, Alexis Chicoine said expanding development goes hand-in-hand with how we move people through our community.
“With the changes suggested in this project, we’ll lose a new parking stalls, yes, but these will be relatively short-term growing pains,” she said.
“As development occurs – let’s hope it does – along Marine Drive, new visitor parking will move into underground spots, for example in Dundarave at the IGA grocery store. And more than likely, as it has happened there, more stalls actually become available … on our streets,” Chicoine said.
Talks should be delayed post-summer to allow more public input, mayor says
Mayor Mark Sager said he was happy to vote on some of the items but wanted to delay the bulk of the discussion until after the summer months.
“Give it until the first meeting in September, so that we ensure that everybody in the community has an opportunity to provide input,” he said.
Sager added that he would have to abstain from discussions about the Marine and 15th changes because it’s in front of his own office building.
“And I shouldn’t tell you I don’t like it,” he said.
Gambioli reminded council that the district’s own policy is to support active transportation and transit over single-occupancy vehicles.
“We should be working with TransLink, especially if they have money they want to give us, to improve the transit system and to improve the life of pedestrians,” she said.
Coun. Peter Lambur said at the district shouldn’t be considering land use and transportation issues in isolation.
“I see no point in doing the piecemeal exercise when we’re in the middle of trying to revitalize the Ambleside town centre,” he said.
Cassidy said council has been tasked with densifying the Ambleside and Dundarave area, which has a concentrated aging population.
“And yet, we’re going to take out bus stops, and we’re being encouraged to use the bus,” she said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous to me.”
A tentative date has been set for the first week of September for the matter to come back to council.
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