A Threat to the Port Angeles-Victoria Ferry?
Uh oh. That’s a pretty alarming headline in today’s PDN. A Victoria task force has decided that the MV Coho has “outgrown the inner harbor.” Victoria is planning a huge redevelopment project for Victoria Harbor, and the “new improved” version won't have space for the Coho. It would be relegated out to Sydney or Esquimalt.
How’s that for a brilliant idea.
If the Port Angeles-Victoria ferry is jeopardized, Port Angeles isn't the only city that would suffer. Even though Victoria is much larger than P.A. and gets a lot more tourists, Victoria merchants are up in arms over this insane proposal.
Ryan Burles, from the Victoria office of Black Ball Transport, Inc., said “We're a bit in shock. We know we're the number one carrier of ferry travelers to this city. We bring in 60 percent of the ferry travelers, and we do it more reliably and more affordably than anyone else.”
He also said “The whole idea of the task force was to create a premier gateway, so why would you take away your number one transportation provider? We need to voice our concerns and tell them what we provide and how well we provide.”
Black Ball Transport has taken an average of 131,000 vehicles and 511,000 passengers from Port Angeles to Victoria each year for the past fifteen years.
This redevelopment proposal is still in the preliminary stages; no action will be taken any time soon. As the plan gets worked out, hopefully cooler heads — ones with brains inside — will prevail.
UPDATE:
Here is the link to a Victoria online forum regarding the Victoria Harbor "improvements." I think Port Angeles residents should register with this forum and express their views, since this issue will have a major impact on residents of Port Angeles and Victoria.
How’s that for a brilliant idea.
If the Port Angeles-Victoria ferry is jeopardized, Port Angeles isn't the only city that would suffer. Even though Victoria is much larger than P.A. and gets a lot more tourists, Victoria merchants are up in arms over this insane proposal.
Ryan Burles, from the Victoria office of Black Ball Transport, Inc., said “We're a bit in shock. We know we're the number one carrier of ferry travelers to this city. We bring in 60 percent of the ferry travelers, and we do it more reliably and more affordably than anyone else.”
He also said “The whole idea of the task force was to create a premier gateway, so why would you take away your number one transportation provider? We need to voice our concerns and tell them what we provide and how well we provide.”
Black Ball Transport has taken an average of 131,000 vehicles and 511,000 passengers from Port Angeles to Victoria each year for the past fifteen years.
This redevelopment proposal is still in the preliminary stages; no action will be taken any time soon. As the plan gets worked out, hopefully cooler heads — ones with brains inside — will prevail.
UPDATE:
Here is the link to a Victoria online forum regarding the Victoria Harbor "improvements." I think Port Angeles residents should register with this forum and express their views, since this issue will have a major impact on residents of Port Angeles and Victoria.
Labels: Black Ball Transport, Esquimalt, inner harbor, MV Coho, Port Angeles, Ryan Burles, Sydney, Vibrant Victoria, Victoria
posted by Tom Harper at 12:11 PM
11 Comments:
Dear PA Online,
You're not the only ones concerned & even outraged by the "blue ribbon" task force's recommendations. For more on how this is shaking down in the Victoria community, see VibrantVictoria.ca's forum, specifically this thread:
http://tinyurl.com/2qbqun
called "Belleville Terminal Concept."
I might start an online petition (aimed at our provincial government, and with the aim of retaining the Coho terminal along with other ferry services). I'll let you know more as it develops, and in the meantime, please take a look at the conversation on the "Vibrant Victoria" forum (tiny url link above).
Thanks for the link. I'll definitely register there and start taking part. This general area needs a lot more online communication and interaction.
I'll also chime in to say that Victorians are not interested in kicking the Coho out of the harbour. The Coho has not "outgrown" the harbour. An online news poll by the only talk-radio station in town is running 89% against.
Karen Rogers to the rescue, according to today's paper. She plans to meet with the mayor of Victoria to work things out. Maybe she'll be as forceful in this issue as she was in ramming Gateway through even though nobody wanted it.
Edna Petersen has declared she is furious about the threat to our Coho ferry and is looking into the matter. Peter Ripley has also voiced his dismay. Craig Miller is looking into the legality of the situation with keen, razor sharp mind. Fear not, citizens of Port Angeles, the right people are looking after you!
The nail in the coffin seemed to be the inflexible Homeland Security requirements. However, I simply don't see how the present arrangement could be made any more secure.
Apparently there was one rep from the DHS who said expand the Victoria terminal or we shut it down.
I feel soooo much safer knowing that the Ministry of Homeland Security is involved. Probably end up giving everyone body cavity searches just to get on the boat.
Just a quick update:
The vast majority of letters to the editor at Victoria's local daily have been in support of the Coho terminal staying in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Letters continue to this day, and Vivian Smith wrote an excellent column about it (see:
http://tinyurl.com/2z52n4 ).
I was too ambitious when I wrote (above) about possibly starting an online petition -- at the end of the day you have to ask yourself if the issue is universal enough to get enough signatures.
Individual letters to the appropriate people are probably more effective (and yes, I wrote mine).
We're hopeful that this silly scheme -- which involves not just removing the Coho but also turning the whole area into an agoraphobic wasteland of open plaza space that offers nothing for tourists or locals -- will quietly die, particularly since BC's provincial government shows no interest in ponying up funding or even showing some plain old interest.
In the meantime, people should continue to write letters and express their views to the appropriate people in all levels of government here (municipal, provincial).
Thanks. Good article. I've added a link to the Victoria Times Colonist over on the sidebar.
I hope the Powers That Be will take that author's advice instead of the task force that came up with that twisted idea. Too many cities screw themselves over by turning themselves into a sterile theme park. That's not what tourists want; at least I don't. I avoid places like that like the plague when I'm traveling.
"Victoria is planning a huge redevelopment project for Victoria Harbor, and the “new improved” version won't have space for the Coho."
Just a clarification: there actually isn't a huge redevelopment plan behind this. The task force's vision is to turn the Coho terminal area into a giant open space.
If I was a conspiracy theorist I'd suggest the local neighbourhood group just wants to boot the Coho (and associated traffic/activity) out of the harbour and replace it with a vaccuum. For example, we've heard a lot of peculiar comments about how Coho-related traffic has increased over the years. How can that possibly be? There's only one Coho and it isn't getting any bigger.
Good Afternoon!!! portangelesonline.blogspot.com is one of the most outstanding innovative websites of its kind. I enjoy reading it every day. All the best.
Post a Comment
<< Home