By Tyler Marr

Proposed transit changes hit speed bump

Aug 9, 2017 | 9:00 AM

The topic of transit changes resulted in debate, frustration and Mayor Greg Dionne accusing council of changing their minds in “the 11th hour.”

During last month’s executive meeting, council was presented with and approved a plan that would see the addition, removal and rearranging of bus stops. A three-month trial for the extension of hours would also begin in September.

But when it came time to give these changes the final stamp of approval Tuesday, the entire project was nearly nixed.

Continuing to voice his opposition to the Muzzy Dr. portion of the 15th St. Shuttle Route being cut was Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick.

“I am encouraged by some of the recommendations in here that were added…but to totally eliminate an entire neighbourhood of Crescent Acres from busing is wrong,” he said. 

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This section of the route only ran at rush hour and saw about 10 riders, according to transportation and traffic manager Keri Sapsford. She said the cut was needed to help keep the route on time.

Councillors also questioned why the city needed to buy new buses when it was cutting runs. It was later explained the new buses would be used to deal with overflow issues and could accommodate wheelchairs and strollers.

It was here things hit a fork in the road.

Before calling for the vote, Dionne vented his frustration with the lack of meaningful suggestions and questioned the direction council had given to Sapsford.

“What are we telling her? If we defeat it, what have we told her? Nothing,” Dionne said. “I do believe in the perfect world that everyone should have bus service. But I live in the real world.”

He went on to say that council had previously discussed the matter, approved it but now “in the 11th hour, we are going ‘oh no.’”

“It is our job to govern,” Dionne added. “It is not our job just to kick it back just because we don’t like it. Sometimes we have to make a decision and that is what we are here for….We have to get out of the election-mode that we are going to please everyone in the city. That isn’t going to happen.”

Further back and forth failed to find an answer. When it came time to vote, a 4-4 split resulted in a defeat of the motion to approve the changes. This prompted the Mayor to ask ‘now what’ of council, as Sapsford was still shy of direction.

Council finally decided to sort out transit issues at their meeting next Monday.

The motion passed, allowing the original plans to come back for further examination before again coming to council later this month.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr