310 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

I don't think fast-moving, short-distance passenger marine vessels are particularly environmentally-friendly.

 

The proposed ones will be environmentally friendly as they will be fully sail-powered. Just as on an airliner and the bulkhead passenger is asked if they are able to operate the door the ship passenger will be asked if they would be willing to man the topsail clewlines, and buntlines.

[Victoria Watcher]

I don't think fast-moving, short-distance passenger marine vessels are particularly environmentally-friendly.

 

nor are they popular anywhere in the world where a safe, reliable, faster, cheaper, 24-hour road route with frequent bus service is available.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 April 2021 - 01:31 PM.

[On the Level]

nor are they popular anywhere in the world where a safe, reliable, faster, cheaper, 24-hour road route with frequent bus service is available.

 

Vancouver's seabus took 17,000 passengers a day back in 2017.....so it's popular, but I agree that given you can drive 15 minutes to get to the same end point, why would anyone take a boat or a bus?

[Victoria Watcher]

Vancouver's seabus took 17,000 passengers a day back in 2017.....so it's popular, but I agree that given you can drive 15 minutes to get to the same end point, why would anyone take a boat or a bus?

 

always happy to look at that comparison.

 

our distance is twice as far.  and much rougher many months of the year.

 

the population of the north shore is over 200,000. 

 

just this light shaded part of downtown vancouver has 150,000 workers.

 

 

 

 

the population of #1 is what, maybe 25,000?  all of sooke, all of metchosin, part of colwood.

 

the population of #2 is maybe 45,000.   and honestly almost none of it would be interested in driving backwards away from downtown to get to the ferry. 

 

in vancouver, the people that take the seabus would likely take the bus if the seabus was non-existent.  a large draw for entering downtown vancouver on transit (bus or seabus) is saving on parking, as it's 2 to 3x the cost of victoria parking.

 

but somehow the mayor of colwood thinks that this ferry will draw huge demand from current mototorists to use the ferry instead.  even though it'll be slower than car or bus for 80% of west shore residents.  maybe  more when you take into account walk times at the victoria end.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 April 2021 - 05:04 PM.

[Nparker]

And keep in mind that the Seabus connects fairly seamlessly with the Skytrain at Waterfront Station. What sort of rapid transit links will connect either end of the west shore to Victoria proposal?

[Victoria Watcher]

And keep in mind that the Seabus connects fairly seamlessly with the Skytrain at Waterfront Station. What sort of rapid transit links will connect either end of the west shore to Victoria proposal?

 

some crazies think people will carry on from downtown to uvic or the ferries etc.

[Mike K.]

I don’t think the ferry is as important for Colwood as a working harbour is. The key is for the province and feds to fund a terminal. How the ferry goes, or doesn’t, doesn’t matter over the medium term.

[max.bravo]

Why and where would a working harbour be built in colwood? The good natural harbours (esq inlet and inner harbour) already have docks

[Mike K.]

Royal Bay was formerly a giant gravel pit and had its very own port for transporting aggregate to the mainland and Washington.

[Mike K.]

Voila:

 

[max.bravo]

Interesting. What kind of industry do you think colwood is angling to support via new terminal facilities (apart from a ferry)

[Mike K.]

I don't think Seaspan's new warehouse on Veterans and Hwy 14 is just a happenstance location. I also think, if developed right, Royal Bay could be lucrative to the cruise ship industry. Ogden Point is in such a sorry state that if Royal Bay can compete in some form, it'll be very attractive to vessels even if they have to dock off-shore and run boats to a smaller port. Currently on days when we see four of five vessels it is conceivable that Royal Bay could attract one or two of them.

[On the Level]

Interesting. What kind of industry do you think colwood is angling to support via new terminal facilities (apart from a ferry)

 

I hope so....but do you know what sort of fuss any sort of new working harbour would cause?  You would have the Victoria "Community Action Bus" warriors down there in 3 seconds flat.  It is about as compicated as the Ocean Futures Innovation Hub.

 

That is pretty much the spot of the new Royal Museum.......from the developer it's also 2,300 homes.  I would think it to be a marina to support that.

Edited by On the Level, 22 April 2021 - 11:21 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

This week, the Capital Regional District passed a motion asking the Transportation Ministry to undertake a feasibility study of a commuter ferry system. A 2019 report by B.C. Ferries determined the ferry was feasible and financially viable.

 

Martin said a ferry system would ease the traffic burden and boost economic activity at both ends.

 

With a potential 4,000 residents living at Royal Beach, Martin said improved transportation facilities such as park-and-ride, commuter rail, bike paths and a ferry system would support the movement of people who will live and work at the former quarry.

 

A 10-acre patch about one kilometre from the beach has been pitched as a park-and-ride facility, and possibly a place for a gondola that would carry people to a ferry terminal.

 

“I don’t think a ferry will completely fix the problem [of congested commuter routes],” said Martin. “But it can be a part of a long-term solution with transit and possible rail.

 

“I see it as someone taking their bike to a ferry terminal, taking a 15-minute ride downtown and doing the last mile to work downtown,” he said.

 

“And that goes both ways. People from downtown can come over to Colwood, have a nice ­dinner and a glass of wine. It creates community both ways.”

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...ands-1.24318957

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 May 2021 - 05:13 PM.

[Nparker]

...This week, the Capital Regional District passed a motion asking the Transportation Ministry to undertake a feasibility study of a commuter ferry system. A 2019 report by B.C. Ferries determined the ferry was feasible and financially viable...

So what is this new study (using more of my tax dollars) going to determine that the 2019 study did not?

[Victoria Watcher]

this guy is out to lunch.  i do not support commuter rail but i think i'd much rather have island rail - where someone very enterprising could run a fun tourism train - than this crazy ferry.  

[Barrrister]

Endless expensive "studies".

[splashflash]

So what is this new study (using more of my tax dollars) going to determine that the 2019 study did not?

The CRD is asking the province to pay for another study, probably as they know BC Ferries has been bled of passenger revenue for the past year and wouldn't have they money to fund a follow-up study. The CRD wants this to stay in the news and fresh with each additional study.

[lanforod]

So what is this new study (using more of my tax dollars) going to determine that the 2019 study did not?

 

From the limited info posted here on VV only, I know this first report was a pre-feasibility study. The new one is a full study. Seems prudent to me to spend a little time to determine if its worth spending a bunch more time before committing to this boondoggle.

[Nparker]

...I know this first report was a pre-feasibility study. The new one is a full study. ..

Followed by the post-feasibility study, the pre-conceptual study, the conceptual study and of course the post-conceptual study.