There’s significant resistance when the issue of transit is put before BX-Silver Star’s political representative.
The Regional District of North Okanagan board wants Mike Macnabb’s area to consider joining the regional transit service, but he always provides the same pat response: “I haven’t heard from anyone who wants to be part of the service.”
And it very well could be that Macnabb’s phones aren’t ringing off the hook, but that doesn’t mean his constituents aren’t interested in transit. It simply could be that people don’t have time to call or they don’t know who to actually contact.
The reality is that some neighbourhoods in BX-Silver Star are quite urbanized, including around BX and Hillview schools, and along the boundary with Vernon. Because of this, it may make sense for a transit route.
Beyond basing a decision on how many phone calls get gets or doesn’t get, Macnabb needs to investigate the issue further.
Likely the best way of determining whether there is interest in transit is to do a survey of residents, either through a mail-out from RDNO or using the resources of the BX Community Association.
For many people, transit provides them an ability to get out without having to own a vehicle and that’s increasingly the case for many seniors. Transit also helps reduce the number of vehicles on roads, which reduces greenhouse gases.
It’s not that Macnabb doesn’t see a value in transit because he funds the bus to UBC. So one has to ask what the difference is when it comes to his residents trying to get into Vernon or other local communities?
