1124 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

The Island Corridor Foundation is supportive of a developer’s proposal to revive E&N Rail service in Greater Victoria, its CEO says.

 

Langford Mayor Stew Young and View Royal Mayor David Screech also said they’re hopeful the project will work.

Mariash, who owns Focus Equities, is proposing to get commuter service on the 15-kilometre stretch between Langford and his Bayview Place and Roundhouse property in Vic West as early as next year.

Focus Equities considered purchasing the full 200-kilometre corridor in the 1990s, before the Island Corridor Foundation, which now owns the railway line, was created.

“Everybody forgets we were a facilitator of that,” Mariash said.

Mariash estimates capital costs to get the rail ready for service at up to $10 million, but would likely be in the $6-million to $7-million range.

Track rehabilitation will cost about $5 million and another $1 million will cover upgrades to deficient crossings, said municipal consultant Geoff Pearce, who is Langford’s former administrator.

“In many ways, you need to understand this is a public transportation service. And public transportation operates on a fare schedule that doesn’t cover all of its costs,” Pearce said.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.OctU3rsD.dpuf

 

[Bingo]

Yes as I said this morning, as soon as you hit the bend in Admirals, where the track and road are close, the trail will go back to the rail, thus preventing the painful hill climb for no reason.

In other words the trail goes behind the Songhees Wellness Centre.

I was told 2016/17 for construction, whatever that means. It is fully funded though.

 

Today's Times Colonist

 

A deal that’s being seen as a way to mend relations with a First Nation could bring dozens of trucks a day to a short street in View Royal.

Residents of the area, which includes Admirals Walk shopping centre, say having 100 trucks a day rolling past will be unhealthy, noisy and inconvenient.

But View Royal Mayor David Screech said the deal will benefit both the region and the Esquimalt Nation.

Under the agreement, the Esquimalt Nation would be able to use Hallowell Road, which belongs to View Royal, as a trucking route to bring supplies to their land.

In exchange, the Esquimalt Nation would allow the Capital Regional District to complete a gap in the E&N Rail Trail on the First Nation’s land.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.FhUtFV6b.dpuf

 

[Mike K.]

How much supplies does one band need? 100 trucks full of "supplies to their land" sounds a bit off.

[Coreyburger]

How much supplies does one band need? 100 trucks full of "supplies to their land" sounds a bit off.

 

There's a concrete plant on Esquimalt Nation land, hence the trucks

[LJ]

I guess just doing it to be a good community member was out of the question?

[nagel]

There's also the Trio site there (at least I think it's Trio, but if not, same thing, construction/landscape supply mart).

[VicHockeyFan]

I guess just doing it to be a good community member was out of the question?

Well the other thing is doing it to give your nation access to a cool trail. Most communities want a trail access.

[nagel]

And now they have it, but why wouldn't they leverage this?  It is a bit absurd how VR has handcuffed them for years over about 100 metres of road access.  It's already an access for a Thriftys and the rest of the strip mall.

[thundergun]

 

 

The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board has awarded a contract to start the next segment of the E&N Rail Trail – Humpback Connector, to be constructed between Hallowell and Maplebank Roads. Donn Mann Excavating Ltd. has been awarded $783,960 for the construction of the trail and the civil engineering works for the railway crossing upgrades. Construction will begin in February-March.

 

https://www.crd.bc.c...h.9Wf32HOx.dpuf

[Bingo]

The CRD Board also approved $421,310 to go to Southern Railway of Vancouver Island for the purchase, installation and commissioning of safety equipment for the railway crossing.

The safety improvements at the rail crossing will meet new Canadian Railway-Roadway Grade Crossings Standards adopted by Transport Canada.

- See more at: https://www.crd.bc.c...x.s33SBKXy.dpuf

 

 

[Bingo]

Mayors, Minister and Media were on hand at the Admirals road crossing today to announce a glimmer of progress, along with further studies in getting commuter rail happening alongside the E&N Trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bingo]

A section of Admirals Road between the Songhees Wellness Centre and the Admirals Walk shopping centre is being widened and repaved this year to improve access for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,

Transportation Minister Todd Stone announced Tuesday.

The road improvements coincide with work on the E&N Rail Trail, which will run alongside Admirals at that location.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.qjn6tjni.dpuf

[satellite]

Liberals seem to really want to pickup that riding 

[Mike K.]

No doubt, hey?

Desjardins is their best chance since their first win back in 2001, and she's likely to clench the seat. I can't even name the folks running against her.

Karagianis is out and her replacement is a relatively unknown individual.

[Mr.B]

 

A section of Admirals Road between the Songhees Wellness Centre and the Admirals Walk shopping centre is being widened and repaved this year to improve access for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,

Transportation Minister Todd Stone announced Tuesday.

The road improvements coincide with work on the E&N Rail Trail, which will run alongside Admirals at that location.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.qjn6tjni.dpuf

 

The west shoulder of Admirals between Maplebank Rd and Thomas Rd was dug up a few months ago (assuming utilities work).  Work has been completed and they've left that shoulder in even worse shape then it was before the work.  The road improvements/E&N trail connector work can't come soon enough to this stretch, its seriously sketchy to walk or ride this section of road... and no alternate way to bypass this.

[57WestHills]

Concur. Of all the weak points in cycling infrastructure around the CRD this spot is probably the most hazardous right now.

[Bingo]

Concur. Of all the weak points in cycling infrastructure around the CRD this spot is probably the most hazardous right now.

 

There seems to be plenty of negotiating with First Nations such as the Metchosin land swap and deals at Rock Bay.

Perhaps negotiations with the Songhees could be made to get the E&N trail along side the railway tracks behind the Wellness Centre.

Otherwise if they don't allow cyclists in there, they sure won't be welcoming the return of rail service.

[Coreyburger]

There seems to be plenty of negotiating with First Nations such as the Metchosin land swap and deals at Rock Bay.

Perhaps negotiations with the Songhees could be made to get the E&N trail along side the railway tracks behind the Wellness Centre.

Otherwise if they don't allow cyclists in there, they sure won't be welcoming the return of rail service.

 

Uhh, this is exactly where the trail will be going:

https://www.crd.bc.c...ap.pdf?sfvrsn=8

[Bingo]

I don't read it that way. The E&N Trail will still be out on Admirals Road, and not running parallel to the tracks.

 

The deal has been in the works for about 18 months, Screech said. A staff engineering report said time is critical, as the Esquimalt Nation has a funding opportunity from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada of $1.3 million for road construction. The CRD has grant funding that is time-critical for completion of the E&N Rail Trail.

Screech said it marks significant progress from the animosity and bad blood of 2004, when the town put a locked gate on Hallowell Road to keep trucks from using it to access the First Nation land illegally. “We went from literally blockading that road 12 years ago to having reached an agreement with the First Nations partners. And to me, that’s a huge step forward.”

He said the trucks currently use nearby Thomas Road, which is slated to close because improvements to Admirals Road will affect elevation.

Under the agreement, the E&N Rail Trail would run up Hallowell Road, along Admirals, then back down through Esquimalt Nation land.

It currently ends at Maplebank, then picks up again at the foot of Hallowell.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...b.UULLdPTM.dpuf

 

[Bingo]

And this from July 16, 2016.

Instead of cutting through the heart of the Esquimalt First Nation, the trail diverts up to Admirals Road — a request the community made in 2010.

“Our community didn’t want anything to do with it, they said we’re not going to have any privacy, so it’s about trying to find that balance,” Thomas said.

That balance has been found, he said. But the tracks remain a problem.

Thomas said he will watch the Nanoose Bay First Nation’s claim against the Island Corridor Foundation closely. The Snaw-Naw-As filed a B.C. Supreme Court claim against the Island Corridor Foundation and the Attorney General in December. It’s asking for the return of land that was taken as part of the controversial E&N land grants in the last century. If successful, it could create a fatal gap in the 289-kilometre corridor between Victoria and Courtenay.

But the Island Corridor Foundation requires community support before it can access provincial and federal funding to tender the project. The Snaw-Naw-As lawsuit has stalled that.

“Respectfully, the federal and provincial agencies won’t proceed until those issues are resolved,” Bruce said.

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.CuNiLB87.dpuf