INNISFAIL -The town is moving boldly ahead in its partnership with other municipalities on the provincial Rural Transportation Pilot Project that will give all Innisfailians new affordable transit options between the community and the City of Red Deer.
At its Oct. 22 regular meeting, town council formally approved the town's participation in the two-year pilot project, which is receiving $700,000 in funding from the Alberta government to cover operating costs over the two years. Council also authorized administration to endorse the Memorandum of Agreement with partners Red Deer County and the Town of Penhold.
"We are hoping it is going to appeal to the whole community," said Karen Bradbury, the town's community and social development coordinator, who made a presentation to council on Oct. 22. "We are hoping it will appeal to students that may be looking for employment, families that need employment, college students as it is a great option, older adults that maybe are not comfortable driving in the winter or cannot drive for whatever reason."
Bradbury said final details and planning for the program are still being worked out with program partners, along with the City of Red Deer, which is providing the service. She said the tentative launch date for the two-year transit program is January of 2019.
For the first time council was told how the program would work for Innisfailians. Bradbury said the cost for riders will be $5 for a one-way trip. Kids under five are free with an adult. The service will run Mondays to Fridays.
Council was told City of Red Deer transit buses will be used for the service. County residents will have daily service from Red Deer to Gasoline Alley and Springbrook during non-peak hours.
A separate route funded by the pilot project will be developed from Red Deer and along Highway 2A to provide transit service to Springbrook, Penhold and Innisfail.
Bradbury told council from Monday to Friday there will be two morning runs from 6:30 and 9:30 a.m., from Bower Mall to Innisfail, Penhold, Springbrook and back to Bower Mall. There will also be two evening runs from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays there will be a mid-afternoon run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
She said passengers will be eligible for one transfer to Red Deer transit. Buses will be handicapped accessible.
As well, council agreed in principle for a regional joint application to the Alberta Community Transit (ACT) Fund through Alberta Transportation. The province has committed $215 million over five years to support municipal transit initiatives that are deemed safe, affordable, accessible and environmentally sustainable.
Bradbury's report to council said the intent of applying for the ACT grant would be to secure funds to assist with the purchase of two smaller environmentally friendly buses to service the pilot project route if it is successful.
The fund will pay up to 40 per cent of eligible costs for the highest ranked projects and up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for projects that also support the province's Climate Leadership Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Like the Rural Transportation Pilot Project, Red Deer County will be the managing partner for the application.
Bradbury noted the ACT grant is a separate issue from the Rural Transportation Pilot Project program. Council was told there is only one application process every five years and it is due this year by Dec. 31.
"Depending on how our rural project goes, if it is successful or not or it's determined there is a need to continue the service, that money will actually assist in buying other buses if we had the numbers to show there was a need for a longer term transit option, and that would be for capital," said Bradbury. "The nice thing is that we are going to use the data from the Rural Transportation Pilot Project to show if there is a need for a longer term service."
If the numbers point to a successful rural transportation service from the pilot program the ACT Fund monies could go towards new town transit buses, with council being asked to pick up the remaining cost.
"(We) would have to go back to council for any other commitments in terms of service," said Bradbury.
