Transit riders have a new place to call their own.
The City of Vernon has installed two new shelters on both sides of 30th Avenue, near the downtown Safeway.
“It’s our second busiest bus area,” said Amanda Watson, municipal transportation technician.
The issue of shelters became a priority after the main transit terminal was moved from Coldstream Avenue to Cenotaph Park at the opposite end of downtown, and facilities for riders at the west end of 30th Avenue were lacking.
“Shelters provide protection from the elements,” said Watson of summer heat and snow during the winter.
The 30th Avenue bus stops are used by a lot of seniors who live in nearby apartments and use transit to go shopping or other appointments.
The two new shelters include benches and they will eventually have lights.
The total price tag was $44,000, with 47 per cent being covered by B.C. Transit and the remainder by the city.
Watson says that shelters are a critical part of the transit system and their availability may determine whether some residents park their vehicles and use the bus.
“They can be attractors if there is a long wait between routes,” she said.
“We are looking to improve facilities year-on-year subject to the budget.”
