Locals from a Fraser Valley community who were tired of complaining about poor transit service have bought a trolley bus to transport people around their small town.
One of the main complaints of residents in Aldergrove, B.C. is buses take passengers away from the town.
“It seems as though most of the TransLink service, at least here, is designed to pick people up in one community and bring them to another. We want people to stay in Aldergrove,” Annette McArthur said.
This annoyance prompted a group of locals to suggest a trolley service similar to the one in Langford, B.C.
“We thought maybe the trolley system for Aldergrove would work,” McArthur said.
With some fundraising, a local transportation committee has purchased a trolley bus originally intended for Stanley Park.
“It's in great condition. The foundation is there. We just have to pretty it up,” McArthur added.
The plan is to run the new trolley from Aldergrove’s town centre to Gloucester Industrial Park, which employs thousands of people but has no transit service.
Nearby businesses support the move.
“We've had an awful lot of employees wanting to work here, we’ve had to turn away, because they had no vehicles to get down here to go to work,” Greg Ewasiuk of Holy Falafel said.
The trolley will shuttle passengers, many whom are expected to be seniors, through the community for about $2 a trip.
“It's a major benefit to people in our park, because a lot of people are on their own; don't have the capability to get out and about,” Fred Dalkeith of Pioneer Park said.
Many people are enthusiastic about how the new transportation will change their lives.
“There's a buzz going around here. People are excited about it coming. It’s going to give them independence they haven't had for some time,” Darla Bracklow of Pioneer Park added.
It’s expected TransLink will give locals the go-ahead to run the service on their own, which means it could be up and running by September.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Michele Brunoro
