The bus stop at McCombs Drive and Alder Avenue in Harrison Hot Springs is being moved to allow for the installation of a new bus shelter.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, Harrison council voted to move the bus stop 80 metres from its current location so it would be illuminated by an existing streetlight. If council had not agreed to move the stop, the village would have had to spend $4,000 to run electricity from a nearby power pole to illuminate the shelter.
As it is, the village will be paying $14,000 from its federal gas tax funds to install an aluminum-sided bus shelter at the stop, covering shipping, installation and 20 per cent of the shelter itself. The reminaing 80 per cent of the shelter cost is being paid by a joint grant from the provincial and federal governments.
SEE ALSO: Two new bus shelters, stop location change approved for Agassiz transit route
Council did discuss whether the aluminum shelter, BC Transit’s E2 shelter, was appropriate for the area. The E2 shelter is the same kind of shelter that is already used at two other stops in Harrison.
Coun. Gerry Palmer shared concerns that the three aluminum sides might not provide enough visibility for riders to feel safe while waiting for the bus. Staff said the sides of the shelter are perforated and people inside the shelter can be seen through them.
Coun. Samantha Piper also noted that shelters with glass walls, the E3 shelter, can be like a “sweat box” in the summer. She said that an E2 shelter would be “far more adequate than having people standing outside of glass walls.”
Coun. Ray Hooper was opposed to every point of the bus shelter motion, as he didn’t want the stop moved, had concerns about the lighting and didn’t like the E2 design.
“If you want people to use public transport … you should be providing the E3 shelter,” he said.
Council passed the motions with Hooper as the sole voice opposed.
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