PENHOLD – Residents in Innisfail, Penhold and Red Deer County may soon benefit from a joint transportation initiative.
Teresa Ainscough, FCSS coordinator for the Town of Penhold, gave a presentation about the initiative to Penhold council on Feb. 26.
In her presentation she outlined details, including a potential two-year pilot project in the county.
"There is a need for transportation to Red Deer,” said Ainscough. "Those who need to get to Red Deer are currently using taxis and it’s highly expensive.
"It would make it more reasonable for people to get to their medical appointments or to go to dialysis on a weekly basis,” she added. "Family members wouldn’t have to take the whole day off.”
Penhold council provided a letter of support to Red Deer County, endorsing the grant application for the two-year pilot project.
The Town of Innisfail is expected to present the transportation initiative to council on March 12. Red Deer County will do so on March 6.
"Red Deer County will be making the application on behalf of the other two municipalities,” said Joanne Symington of Red Deer County. "Red Deer County will be the managing partner for the grant application and administration.
"The program focus is really looking to improve public transportation services between Alberta’s mid-sized urban centres and their surrounding communities,” she added.
The initiative would include a two-year pilot project funded through a provincial grant. If approved this spring, the province would provide up to a maximum of $350,000 per year, per region, noted Symington.
The project consists of a proposed bus loop through Red Deer County, making designated stops in Innisfail, Penhold, Springbrook and Red Deer.
"The Bower Mall is the proposed stop in Red Deer,” she said.
The Town of Penhold conducted a transit feasibility study in 2015, said Ainscough, but based on results and feedback from Penhold residents at the time, nothing moved forward.
"They did not move forward with anything because there were no grants at that time, but there was an interest,” she said.
Ainscough said if ridership does not warrant the cost of the transit service after the two-year pilot the project would end.
"The usage will be tracked as soon as someone gets on the bus,” explained Ainscough. "We’ll have a very good idea of how many are using it from each community.”
Ainscough said they are hopeful that if approved, the pilot project would be a success and provincial funding would continue.
"If we are successful with the grant, as a collaboration between the three municipalities, then we have an opportunity to pilot this (initiative) for two years and see if our communities will embrace it,” Ainscough concluded.
Teresa Ainscough, FCSS coordinator, Town of Penhold.
"There is a need for transportation to Red Deer."
