Anyone who travels to and from the Lower Mainland via Horseshoe Bay can have their say about what they would like to see in a new ferry terminal.
B.C. Ferries wants customers and communities to share their feedback on draft concepts for its Horseshoe Bay terminal re-development plan. The corporation is taking public input online until Oct. 13 and will host a community engagement event in West Vancouver.
The Horseshoe Bay terminal development plan is a 25-year plan for the future of the terminal, which is at capacity, making it difficult and sometimes challenging for customers to travel, according to a B.C. Ferries press release. Also, some of the terminal’s infrastructure will soon need to be replaced, making it a good time to explore possible terminal improvements.
B.C. Ferries completed the third phase of its engagement program last year when it heard from more than 1,500 people about what is important to them in a future terminal at Horseshoe Bay. Major themes that emerged related to efficiency, ensuring accessibility for all transportation modes and creating benefit for and integration with the village of Horseshoe Bay. A summary of feedback received is available at this link.
The ferry corporation said it has paid particular attention to improving loading and unloading efficiency and fare affordability and, in later phases of its planning, will explore the potential of a community transportation hub.
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“We’ve developed these draft concepts with what we heard, and now we want to further define them with more input from the community,” said Mark Wilson, B.C. Ferries’ vice-president of strategy and community engagement, in the release. “The Horseshoe Bay terminal plays a significant role in connecting communities and customers. This makes it a good time to get more detailed input on how we improve the terminal to meet the community’s future growth and emerging needs.”
B.C. Ferries will put together and release a summary report based on feedback on the draft concepts, and expects to present the preferred design in 2020. The first phase of terminal construction could start in the middle of the next decade.
The community engagement session happens Oct. 7, 4-8 p.m., at the Gleneagles Golf Course in West Vancouver. For more information, visit http://bcferries.com/about/hsbterminal.
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