INNISFAIL - The expanded Commnity Bus program to Red Deer is slowly starting to catch on with Innisfailians after its first month of operation.
“I think it is positive. It is certainly a step in the right direction,” said Karen Bradbury, the town's community and social development coordinator.
Introduced on Oct. 5, the program partnership between the Town of Innisfail and the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion, is now offering locals round tips once a week on Wednesdays instead of the previous service of just once a month.
Pickup and return service from the Community Bus has been extended to Bowden's Igloo Arena parking lot and the Penhold Regional Multiplex. The number of Red Deer destinations has increased from just a pair of stops at Bower and Parkland malls to five, including Walmart and Southpointe Common, Red Deer hospital and downtown Red Deer at the corner of 49th Avenue and 51st Street. The cost is a flat rate fee of $10, round trip or just one way, for all citizens regardless of age.
"The legion has worked closely with the Town of Innisfail over the past two years in order to review all of the policies and procedures covering the operation of the Community Bus. Part of those discussions have centred around how we can improve the scope of the service within the immediate communities,” said Arno Glover, the manager of the legion. “We are still in the early stages of piloting a new pickup and drop-off schedule which we hope will offer the residents of Penhold and Bowden a much improved community service.”
Bradbury said the increased service was created to meet a demand for improved public transportation to attend essential services in Red Deer.
“People had thought it was just a shopping trip for older people,” said Bradbury. “When I am assessing need in the community one of the barriers for individuals accessing essential services in Red Deer is that lots of times they don't have transportation.
“What we are looking to do is increase the consistency of the bus service,” she added. “So if individuals need to get to an appointment or go to offices like Service Canada and Alberta Works, they can more consistently go in, versus just once a month.”
Bradbury conceded the public response after just one month is not yet where the partners want it to be, but added there has been a definite increase on calls for more information.
“I'm getting more calls for information on times and things like that. Plus, I have put in a lot of advertising around the community and in pamphlets. I am getting more questions,” said Bradbury. “Previously on average you sometimes might get two people. Sometimes now we can have three or four and up to eight. It varies every week. It depends on the needs.”
Bradbury said the public response to the upgraded Community Bus program will be evaluated after Christmas.
For more detailed information on the service visit the town's website at http://innisfail.ca
Karen Bradbury, community and social development coordinator
"When I am assessing need in the community one of the barriers for individuals accessing essential services in Red Deer is that lots of times they don't have transportation. What we are looking to do is increase the consistency of the bus service"
