5 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

A Royal Roads Masters student is doing a feasibility study on a commuter walk-on ferry between downtown Victoria and the West Shore (at the new Royal Bay site). This could have a huge impact on all Greater Victoria residents!

http://westshoreferry.ca/

The Westshore Chamber of Commerce is assisting with this project and we are asking citizens to fill out a survey on what they would like to see with this service. There are also Black Ball Ferry Line return trip prizes up for grabs for those who fill it out!

http://westshoreferry.ca/

I could get excited about this. It could be a tourism draw in summer, if it could also make a stop at Esquimalt Lagoon/Fort Rodd Hill.

[G-Man]

This has been discussed since the Royal Bay master plan came about in the 1990's. Would be good to see it actually go ahead. I expect that as others have seen the winter weather will dissuade any potential operator.

[LJ]

The survey wasn't done very well IMO.

For questions that were not applicable you still had to give an answer.

[Bernard]

The core problems I see:

Who will pay for the cost of the service?

Given the odds of rough weather in the winter, how many people would really rely on it as a service if it is cancelled several times a month from October to April?

[VicHockeyFan]

Given the odds of rough weather in the winter, how many people would really rely on it as a service if it is cancelled several times a month from October to April?

People are resilient, how many people don't rely on Harbour Air because of its winter cancellations? Honestly, the Coho never cancels trips, BCF only does it because of passenger discomfort, not ship or dock problems.

[Mike K.]

BCF cancels sailings because rough sea conditions on the Georgia Strait are very different from rough sea conditions on the Juan de Fuca and the Spirit vessels on the Victoria side have a particularly difficult docking maneuver compared to what the Coho has to contend with.