17 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

First I've ever heard of this today.  New Sidney mayor Steve Price says they have been working on it for some time (1.5 years).  It'll run from the foot of Beacon to Ganges, and is designed to give SSI residents access to Sidney services that they can't find on the Island.   And the idea of course is they do not have to bring their car, so it's cheaper and more convenient.

[Bernard]

That is a distance of about 27 kilometers meaning it would likely take an hour to make the run, not all that fast.  

 

As is stands, the BC Ferries services to the Gulf Islands need subsidy to operate,.   How would a private passenger only ferry break even?

 

Finally, what does Sidney have the Ganges does not?   I can understand coming to Greater Victoria for stuff like Home Depot or Costco, but what does Sidney offer?

[VicHockeyFan]

Finally, what does Sidney have the Ganges does not?   I can understand coming to Greater Victoria for stuff like Home Depot or Costco, but what does Sidney offer?

 

Doctors?

[Bernard]

Doctors?

 

Ganges has doctors and if you need serious specialists they are all going to be much closer to downtown, not in Sidney.   Remember Saltspring has a hospital

[gumgum]

I've been to that hospital as a patient a couple of times. Usually only one doctor on call and a couple of nurses.

[VicHockeyFan]

Safeway?  Save On Foods?

[Matt R.]

There's a Thrifty's and Country Grocer in Ganges already.

 

Interesting concept.

Matt.

[Bernard]

Even if the issue was doctor's appointments in Sidney, which would be the minority of doctor visits, that would notdrive a lot of traffic.   Also. if you have travel by ferry for a doctor's appointment the province pays your travel if the doctor signs a form for you.

 

The current cost for car and driver return trip from Saltspring to Swartz Bay is $46.75 and you can walk on for $11.90 round trip.  There are public buses running to the ferry terminal in Fulford Harbour and of course the buses on this side.   Add $9.50 for transit costs and you can get from Ganges to anywhere in Greater Victoria as a foot passenger for $21.40 

 

The realistic fare a private ferry could charge and get people interested in using it would have to be $15 to $20 for a round trip.   So you would be charging no more than $10 for an hour and half long trip.   

 

The Sidney spit ferry can carry 46 passengers but would take closer to an hour and half for the trip.   It is also very easily susceptible to bad weather.   The ferry to Sidney island, a 25 minute trip is $19 per person round trip.   It makes enough to be worth operating, so extrapolating from that, the Ganges to Sidney route with the same ship would have to charge around $30 each way.     That is assuming you can find the 80-100 people a day that would want to use the service

[VicHockeyFan]

What if Sidney offered free parking (they sort of do already, but I'm sure it's not 24 hours).  Are there enough people in Ganges that would commute in every day, leave a car on this side?  Of course, that does not do much for Sidney's economy.

[Bernard]

What if Sidney offered free parking (they sort of do already, but I'm sure it's not 24 hours).  Are there enough people in Ganges that would commute in every day, leave a car on this side?  Of course, that does not do much for Sidney's economy.

The hour and a half ride on the water is going to be a deterent

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmmm, maybe this is a daft idea.  It certainly is if Sidney is going to subsidize the operation beyond building the dock.

 

I've always maintained Sidney ought to go after the 300k that don't live out there, but live south of there.  Don't get too worked up about grabbing ferry traffic (either Anacortes, or Mainland).   

[Matt R.]

Many people are already leaving their cars in Fulford and walking on the boat and catching the bus on the other side.  $9 round trip with a Experience card.  Parking is already free in Fulford.  That's gonna be hard to beat.

 

Sidney is already a lot like Ganges, I can't imagine there being much in Sidney that people can't already get locally.  If people are needing to get to Victoria for work or appointments they are already likely better served by a) driving over once in a while, the gov't will pay your fare if it's for a medical appointment, b) driving to Fulford, leaving your car behind and walking on or c) taking the bus ($2.25) to Fulford and walking on or of course the ever popular and highly effective d) hitchhiking to the ferry and walking on. 

 

I mostly make my living by serving people who are going to and from Swartz via Fulford, I pay very close attention.  I am curious to see how this additional service would be a net benefit to the general travelling public.

 

Matt.

[lanforod]

That is a distance of about 27 kilometers meaning it would likely take an hour to make the run, not all that fast.  

 

As is stands, the BC Ferries services to the Gulf Islands need subsidy to operate,.   How would a private passenger only ferry break even?

 

Finally, what does Sidney have the Ganges does not?   I can understand coming to Greater Victoria for stuff like Home Depot or Costco, but what does Sidney offer?

Why does this thing have to go so slow? I've been on passenger ferries that went 30 knots+ which would make this 30 minutes.

[lanforod]

^ Note that the Clipper goes about 30 knots (55 km/hr). The new Nanaimo passenger ferry will run at about 37.5 knots (has seat belts, and not allowed outside at high speed). The fastest ferry in the world can go about 52 knots fully loaded, and that one carries 150 cars and over 1000 passengers http://www.ship-tech...gh-speed-ferry/.

[Bernard]

Yes, it could be fast ferry, but on both ends of the trip you would be restricted from using that speed.   But as soon as you use these faster ferries the costs rise dramatically.  Small scale passenger traffic does not sound realistic for fast ferries.   The Victoria Clippers have passenger capacities from 231 to 320 people, way too many for this Ganges/Gulf Islands service.

 

How many higher speed passenger only ferries have we seen between the mainland and the island over the last 30 years?    Starting from the hoovercraft in 1969, there have been a huge number and none of them have been a success.   

 

The idea on every level strikes me as a dubious proposition.   As long as no public funds go into, they are welcome to try it

[VicHockeyFan]

Sidney’s new council will explore the possibility of establishing a foot-passenger ferry between the town and the Gulf Islands in the new year.

 

Mayor-elect Steve Price said the idea has been considered over the last year and he hopes to launch an economic analysis of the potential service and an engineering study of what would be required to run it from Sidney’s Beacon Wharf.

 

“It will come in front of the new council in January and we will have strategic planning sessions on it,” said Price.

 

He noted the idea was originally floated in the spring by Southern Gulf Islands director David Howe, who saw Sidney as the hub for the service.

 

“It was quite an election topic,” Price said. “People want us to use our waterfront resources better, make them more user-friendly and with more public facilities.”

 

Price said if they “can pull it off, it could become a big economic driver” for the town.

 

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

[Victoria Watcher]

 

https://twitter.com/TristinHopper

[Matt R.]

Yah and it’s super bike friendly too, bring your bikes.

I wonder if anyone told him we aren’t a city, or even a municipality and some times people paint road lines themselves with spray paint.

Edited by Matt R., 25 August 2022 - 09:54 AM.