BC Ferries will be meeting with the Chemainus area Ferries Advisory Committee in ‘mid to late November’ to develop an alternate service plan for the 10 week period in January 2017 when the terminal will be closed for upgrades.
At a meeting Sept. 25 BC Ferries Project Manager for Terminal Construction Stephen Mayall outlined planned upgrades to the Chemainus dock, located at the foot of Oak Street.
The work includes: replacement of the trestle, ramp, pontoons and wing walls; making the upgraded structure highway legal, capable of loads up to 63.5 tons on 8 axles.
Demolition and construction is scheduled to begin in September or October of 2016, and the berth will be closed for up to 10 weeks, starting in early January 2017.
“We had a good discussion on what alternate service might look like,” Keith Rush of the Ferries Advisory Committee said.
Rush reported that the intention is to have a 40 to 50 person water taxi running on the existing schedule between Thetis Island, Penelakut Island and Chemainus.
At peak times – including school runs – a second 15 to 20 person water taxi may be added.
Vehicle traffic will be diverted to the Crofton ferry terminal. “The details, such as schedule and vessel, still need to be worked out,” Rush said.
Service will need to be dovetailed with the existing Crofton-Vesuvius run, and the actual sailing times and schedule for Crofton-Thetis-Penelakut service still have to be worked out.
A series of Public Open Houses for public feedback will be held in the late winter and early spring of 2016 in Chemainus and on Thetis and Penelakut.
Then in September, 2016 there will Information Sessions on Thetis Island, Penelakut Island and in Chemainus to communicate the final plan.
People who have questions about the terminal upgrade can contact Keith Rush at 250-416-0013 or keithrush17@gmail.com.
