Open letter to Kelowna city council and Regional Transit management:
As a landlady for UBCO student boarders, I concur wholeheartedly with Mike Straus’s articulate letter published Jan. 26 in the Capital News (Council Challenge: Use Transit for One Month). I might also add that reducing the #97 transit service and eliminating the #9 Shoppers Shuttle will negatively affect our seniors as well as UBCO students.
Mayor Gray, you campaigned on these words: “We, as mayor and council, must continue our commitment to grow the transit system particularly with our growing dependence on public buses by our increasing student population but also our seniors who rely on this mode of transportation.” http://www.am1150.ca/Elections/Kelowna/Story.aspx?ID=1562123
It would appear that not only were promises made to the students at UBCO during their U-Pass referendum broken, but so were commitments made to the voting public during our municipal campaign.
I encourage council and the Regional Transit System to re-visit their decision to reduce transit service to Kelowna’s businesses and specifically from Glenmore to UBCO.
Alternatively, you could make available the data which you now say indicates “the cancellations are due to low ridership.” http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/51165
Each of you should take Mike Straus up on his challenge for one month.
Julianne Pells,
Kelowna
