SUNDRE – Many if not most of us tend to take for granted the ability to just hop into our vehicles and run errands as the need arises, said the Sundre Community Van Association’s coordinator.
Lisa White was addressing council on Nov. 25 during a regular meeting alongside Doug Laveck, who is one of the drivers.
Originally rolled out in 1997, the association is intended to meet the community’s transportation needs, especially those who struggle to line up arrangements to attend medical appointments, said White.
The non-profit organization’s initial aim was to help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety people already experience when dealing with a medical issue, she said.
Over the decades since, the association has expanded its services in a bid to provide even more value to the community while also generating revenue to not only cover operational costs but also maintenance expenses while bearing in mind the inevitable need to eventually replace the van.
The core service remains the weekly shuttle that runs Thursdays, starting at the Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living lodge followed by stops to collect riders at Pioneer Place as well as private residents around town who’ve called to request a seat at a nominal cost of $5 per rider, she said.
“We want the shuttle to be affordable for everybody.”
The shuttle averages approximately 10 riders every week, representing only $50, and the association recently introduced rides on Tuesday afternoons as well, she said, adding there is also a monthly drive out to Olds offered at a cost of $15 that typically has between eight to 10 riders.
“Much as they all love Sundre, it makes a pleasant change for them to go to one of the other towns,” she said.
The daytrips include a lunch which is a highlight for most of the riders, she said.
“Socializing is such an important part of aging,” she said.
In an effort to meet the needs of people whose in-town appointments fall outside of the regular shuttle times, the association also has three private drivers who can pick them up for $5, she said.
Earlier this year, she said the association was lucky enough to receive the donation of a wheelchair-accessible van that did require the additional investment of several thousand dollars to make it roadworthy.
“It’s proving invaluable because the larger van is often booked now,” she said.
The past summer was also a busy one, with the association having secured bookings through a daycare centre for day trips in July and August, as well as nine weddings and safe drives from golf tournaments.
“These bookings are absolutely necessary to us to subsidize the cost of the shuttles,” she said. “The shuttles really are not covering the cost of themselves.”
And without the volunteers, the services wouldn’t be possible, she emphasized.
Among the board’s recent fundraising initiatives has been to solicit local businesses for sponsorship support of drivers.
“They get paid a small amount,” she said. “Sometimes, they’re out the entire day, so they do get a per diem.”
The primary objective remains keeping the cost low enough so anybody who needs the shuttle can afford it, she said.
For the time being, any month when the organization manages to break even is considered a positive. But that of course does not leave enough not only for basic maintenance but also the eventual replacement 10 to 15 years from now, she said.
Courtesy of a provincial grant from Healthy Aging, the group was able to purchase a new van late last year that retails at approximately $174,000. But costs only continue to increase, she said.
“What will that price look like in 10 or 12 years from now when replacing the van becomes a reality?” she said. “This is why we can’t just sit back and wait and see what happens. We need to plan for that.”
Coun. Jaime Marr asked what the capacity is for the main shuttle and whether the ridership is consistent or varies.
White said there are enough seats for 18 people but that a wheelchair, of which two can be accommodated, takes up two spots. So if both wheelchair spots are in use, the bus can transport 14 passengers.
And while “there’s certainly a core” of regular riders there are also those who use the van on occasion, she said.
Marr also asked if the association envisions the van being used by other demographics beyond elder residents.
“The original idea was seniors, but it’s called the Sundre community van,” said White, adding there is a diverse range of people in town.
“We certainly wouldn’t say to somebody, ‘Oh, you’re not 55, you can’t come,’” she said, adding that so long as there is space available, pretty well anyone who wants a ride will be accommodated.
Coun. Owen Petersen applauded the group’s focus on keeping rides affordable for seniors who don’t have other means of transportation and said he hopes council can eventually find some wiggle room in the budget to provide a bit more funding.
According to financial figures presented in the report to council, which is available in the agenda package that can be found on the town’s website, the association’s revenue surged substantially in 2023-24 with an accumulative total of nearly $250,000 compared with shy of $60,000 the year prior.
Grants from the Town of Sundre, Mountain View County and the provincial government amounted to a total of roughly $160,000 in 2023-24, a big jump up from $14,725 the year prior.
But donations in 2023-24 were also up significantly at a little more than $46,550 compared with $10,470 in 2022-23. Other sources of revenue included fees for advertising on the van, which were up to $5,760 from $850, as well as user fees from organizations that were slightly down in 2023-24 at $27,830 from almost $31,500 in 2022-23.
Council carried a motion accepting the report as information.
