70 replies to this topic

[aastra]

I still think these downtown-to-downtown boats aren't practical. The trip is too long and the price is too high. Something like $49 from Oak Bay Marina to Richmond near Aberdeen or River Rock might work.

 

Comment: 

 

 

Victoria Airport is in Sidney, not Victoria and if they had a Victoria Airport I might come more often.

 

People think they're making some devastating point when they say things like this, apparently forgetting that Vancouver's airport is also not in Vancouver.

[Kach]

I still think these downtown-to-downtown boats aren't practical. The trip is too long and the price is too high. Something like $49 from Oak Bay Marina to Richmond near Aberdeen or River Rock might work.

 

I agree with your take on terminal for this in Richmond...linked to SkyTrain is practical.

 

Oak Bay Marina is connected to nothing (unless you count the #8 bus that doesn't even hit downtown).  We need more integration of transportation options in this town...not less.

[aastra]

If adjusting the bus routing presents too great a technical challenge then we can always fall back on the simpler/cheaper option of building a subway from Oak Bay to downtown.

Edited by aastra, 29 September 2015 - 01:30 PM.

[Bingo]

The only trip that I think would make sense is to have the Vancouver Island terminal in Tod Inlet right at Butchart Gardens.

A shuttle trip down to the cruise ship terminal and a drive around the Dallas Road waterfront to show them what they missed by not coming in that way would round off the sight seeing, as well as avoiding the downtown paparazzi.

[VicHockeyFan]

Even Nanaimo's airport is not in Nanaimo.

 

This thing is not intended to replace the ferry trip.

[dasmo]

Sheesh. These aren't public transit proposals. They are new tourist businesses. I might never ride them. I like them because they will utilize the terminal as it should be and make that terminal zone active with people. Maybe it will inspire the other two terminals to upgrade. Heck. PA has a nicer terminal for the clipper than us!  

[lanforod]

Yeah. A public transit alternative would need to be faster and cheaper. River Rock area is great for that. On this end, that's a bit trickier. Downtown is probably best for transit.

[Mike K.]

Do we know that the ferry will actually disembark from the terminal, though? Or will Riverside only maintain offices in the terminal building?

 

It doesn't sound as though there will be public access to the top floor of the building which will be leased to Riverside, only access for their employees as the administrative offices.

 

And what do we know about the Vancouver side? I would wager that they'd want to have a bigger, more pronounced presence there since the majority of passengers will be originating in Vancouver and visiting Victoria.

[VicHockeyFan]

Sheesh. These aren't public transit proposals. They are new tourist businesses. I might never ride them. I like them because they will utilize the terminal as it should be and make that terminal zone active with people. Maybe it will inspire the other two terminals to upgrade. Heck. PA has a nicer terminal for the clipper than us!  

 

PA has a Clipper terminal?  

[VicHockeyFan]

Do we know that the ferry will actually disembark from the terminal, though? Or will Riverside only maintain offices in the terminal building?

 

It doesn't sound as though there will be public access to the top floor of the building which will be leased to Riverside, only access for their employees as the administrative offices.

 

No, they intend to dock there, they have or intend to have the water lot lease.

[Kach]

If adjusting the bus routing presents too great a technical challenge then we can always fall back on the simpler/cheaper option of building a subway from Oak Bay to downtown.

Subway sounds cool.  I think you missed my point though.  Oak Bay Marina is in the middle of nowhere when it comes to transportation (and tourism) integration...in my opinion.  And when travel time is compared from downtown, likely there is little time saving.

 

Guess I would like to think that this service may have transportation utility, but I tend to agree with others on here...it's likely best as "the scenic route" to Vancouver.

[aastra]

I guess I was trying to be too clever there. I was meaning to say Oak Bay Marina is less than 5 kilometres away from the heart of downtown along a mostly arrow-straight city street. A direct bus in combination with taxis and shuttles should be more than sufficient to lick any issues re: access. If a direct bus does not already exist, it easily could exist by adjusting an existing route or by creating a special new route. But I'm coming at this from the perspective of locals who need to get back and forth, not tourists who want to spend several hours at sea.* And I'm assuming that the service would be used by enough people to justify the direct connection.

 

*Mike, please let's not argue about this.

[Matt R.]

#2 used to go pretty much to the Marina. #1, too.

 

Matt.

[dasmo]

PA has a Clipper terminal?  

Sorry Black Ball. 

[johnk]

I agree with your take on terminal for this in Richmond...linked to SkyTrain is practical.

Oak Bay Marina is connected to nothing (unless you count the #8 bus that doesn't even hit downtown). We need more integration of transportation options in this town...not less.

The #8 is known as the "mall bus", hitting Hillside, Mayfair and Tillicum. It doesn't need to go right downtown, lots of people prefer the malls.

Edited by johnk, 30 September 2015 - 11:01 AM.

[Kach]

The #8 is known as the "mall bus", hitting Hillside, Mayfair and Tillicum. It doesn't need to go right downtown, lots of people prefer the malls.

People who are coming off a boat from Vancouver would prefer to go to the malls than downtown?  Not convinced that would be the case for either tourists, or business folks using this to commute.

[sdwright.vic]

A city in Oregon (I think) trashed their entire 70 map and renewed it from the ground up. The system was almost bankrupt... now it's profitable. The routes that worked back then don't work now. Some routes don't need to go crosstown, just travel enough so dt connections are easy. We need to throw out our current map.

[dasmo]

People who are coming off a boat from Vancouver would prefer to go to the malls than downtown? Not convinced that would be the case for either tourists, or business folks using this to commute.

Exactly... Our malls don't attract people to this city... Victoria old town and the harbour does... Proximity to wonderful nature attracts the longer stays...

[VicHockeyFan]

Passenger ferry service between Victoria‘s Inner Harbour and Vancouver took another step forward Tuesday as Riverside Marine signed a lease agreement with the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority for office space at the CPR Steamship Terminal building and a water lot on the harbour.

 

The deal means service between the two cities could start this summer.

 

“We’re pleased to be working with the GVHA and bringing a passenger marine transportation service back to this historic building along the stunning Inner Harbour and we look forward to our visitors experiencing two of the most beautiful harbours in the world and the ocean ways in between," said Hume Campbell, chief executive of Australia-based Riverside Marine.

 

The company will now start retrofitting a catamaran to handle as many as 300 passengers, with expectations it could start preliminary service this summer, but full operation expected to begin in the 2017 season.

 

Daily sailings are expected to leave Vancouver in the morning, and from Victoria in the afternoon. The harbour to harbour trip, covering 59 nautical miles, will take up to 3.5 hours.

 

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

[Mike K.]

Press release:

 

Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and Riverside Marine BC agree to lease terms for Steamship Terminal

 

January 05, 2016, Victoria, BC – Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) and Riverside Marine BC have reached an offer to lease agreement for the Steamship Terminal, covering both the building and water lot, helping to facilitate a proposed harbour to harbour passenger marine tourism service between Vancouver and Victoria.

 

Riverside Marine BC is a new company recently set up to operate V2V vacations.  It is a division of Riverside Marine Australia, a family business incorporated in 1926.  Today it operates a number of diverse divisions under the Riverside Marine Group, Rivtow Marine, RiverWijs & Fantasea Adventure Cruising brands. Riverside’s Canadian operations, Riverside Marine BC, will be its first expansion into North America.

 

“By signing to terms on a lease with Riverside Marine BC, we are officially welcoming a new transportation service and tourism experience to our city,” says Ian Robertson, CEO of GVHA. “This new marine related business aligns with the historical use and adds vibrancy and life to Victoria’s Steamship Terminal building.”

 

The lease terms between GVHA and Riverside Marine BC include both operations and office space in the building as well as leased water lot fronting the Steamship Terminal. The building will house Riverside’s Canadian corporate operations on the top floor, a sales information area on the main floor, and support space on the lower level. The luxury marine experience will initially begin with daily sailings departing Vancouver in the morning, and from Victoria in the afternoon.

 

The harbour to harbour trip aboard a high speed jet catamaran with capacity of up to 300 passengers is expected to take up to 3.5 hours, and will provide comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, serving of local food and beverages, and guided interpretation of sea and wildlife, oceanography and local geography, West Coast culture and history, with primary focus on a visitor destination experience. Upon arrival, passengers will be provided with numerous options to explore both cities – whether for a short or extended stay.

 

“We’re pleased to be working with the GVHA and bringing a passenger marine transportation service back to this historic building along the stunning Inner Harbour and we look forward to our visitors experiencing two of the most beautiful harbours in the world and the ocean ways in between,” says Hume Campbell, CEO of Riverside Marine.

 

“We will be working with Tourism Victoria, Tourism Vancouver, Destination BC, and the tourism operators across the province as we strive to create an iconic tourism experience which brings even more visitors to BC.”

 

Riverside Marine will start work retrofitting its newest addition to the Riverside fleet of passenger catamarans in early 2016. Preliminary services are planned to start during the summer in 2016 with full operations for the 2017 tourism season.

 

About Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) is a not-for-profit organization governed by a local Board of Directors. It owns and operates deep water, marina and upland holdings throughout Victoria’s harbour including the large vessel Ogden Point port facility where a dynamic cruise tourism industry contributes over $100 million annually to the regional economy; Victoria’s renowned Fisherman’s Wharf float home community and small business hub; and the Inner Harbour’s luxury yacht and marine tourism facility at Ship Point. GVHA’s vision is a harbour where people live, learn,
work and play; a spectacular gateway into Victoria’s past and into its future, monumental in look and feel, linking communities and all people together. www.gvha.ca