Move to fill Barrhead 's 'transport gap '

Moves are under way to fill a “gap in transportation services” in Barrhead.

It could lead to a taxi, bus or van service to help those without a vehicle, on a low income or suffering from a disability.

The initiative has been started by the Barrhead Transportation Task Force. Last Monday it won support of Town councillors.

The council agreed to help the group fine-tune a survey, which will ask the public about transport needs in the community.

One of the key questions will be: how much are you prepared to pay for public accessible transportation?

The plan is for the survey to go out to Town and County residents.

At last Monday’s Town meeting a three-person delegation from the transport task force made a presentation.

It included retired healthcare worker and informal caregiver Susan Oleskiw; Barrhead &District Family and Community Support Services Society community development and volunteer coordinator Ros Rudd; and Continuing Care Centre manager Carla Carlson.

Oleskiw said the task force was a group of local concerned citizens who believe that keeping people mobile was a quality of life issue.

“Lack of access to a private vehicle often results in unmet needs including both life-enhancing and life sustaining needs,” she said. “We believe there is a gap in transportation services in our community.”

“We are here to request your support to carry out a community survey of the town and county.”

Oleskiw said the automobile was Barrhead’s connection to the outside world.

“A significant number of people do not drive or do not have access to suitable transportation,” she said.

Oleskiw drew comparisons between Barrhead and other communities including:

• Athabasca County, which owns and operates three vehicles on an “as needed” basis. There is a user fee schedule. Subsidies from County, Town and village of Boyle are provided by a set rate per capita;

• Westlock, which has been operating accessible transport since 1987. Since 2009 it has been operated by the Town on an “as needed” basis. There are user fees and taxpayer subsidies. Currently a committee is developing a transport strategy;

• Whitecourt Town, which bought an accessible van four years ago. Town owns bus and pays driver. Funding by user fees and municipal sustainability money; and

• Hinton, which has a service funded by user fees, school district and municipal funding

Oleskiw said mobility challenged people in Barrhead were currently accessing private vehicles and a local taxi.

Mobility challenges, she added, may include, but are not limited to, low-income developmental disabilities, no vehicles, visual impairment, cognitive degeneration, difficulty walking, difficulty climbing and the use of mobility aids such as walkers and wheelchairs.

“We strongly believe that a community needs assessment with the results compiled is the logical next step. We are asking your assistance to circulate the survey and compile the data.”

A 16-question draft survey was presented to the council. It asks people how they get about and whether they have to forego trips through lack of transport. It also asks them whether they would use accessible public transport and, if so, what kind.

Coun. Dave McKenzie said the task force’s report was very well balanced, accurate and devoid of prejudice, providing useful research.

“You have certainly stepped up to the plate on this,” he told the delegation. “Good job.”

McKenzie, Coun. Shelley Oswald and Barrhead Mayor Brian Schulz said the survey should cover the questions of costs, such as a rough estimate of fees per journey and how much people were prepared to pay for a service.

Schulz described the report as excellent and thorough, but reminded the council and delegation that a new form of transport would be in competition with an existing business in town.

This was an issue the last time the municipality attempted to provide accessible public transport, he said.

Schulz believed a survey should go out to provide an accurate picture of need and want. And he pointed out the council may be able to draw on grant programs, such as the Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.

“Great idea, I think we should go ahead with this survey,” he said.

“I like your survey and think you have done a great job,” said Oswald.

Coun. Don Smith asked what kind of fee schedule was proposed. Would it be based on number of rides?

McKenzie said it was important a single survey be sent out to Town and County residents.

“We need to ensure the survey is consistent,” he said.

The council agreed with Coun. Madelaine Wessel’s motion that Town administration, in collaboration with the County, should help with the survey and decide the best means of distributing it.

A transport task force delegation also made a presentation to County on Tuesday, July 2. The members included Oleskiw, Blue Heron Support Services executive director Ralph Helder and Barrhead Public Library director Elaine Dickie.

Dickie said this service would cater to people who have no other option, including elderly individuals that are no longer able to drive. For a healthy life as a senior, she said, an individual should try to maintain their regular routine.

“We want people to be able to be out in the community, shopping, coming to the library,” said Dickie. “That’s something we see at the library all the time. As soon as people give up their cars we never see them again, and that’s a huge segment of our senior population that can’t get to the library anymore.”

There’s also the aspect of dignity of the individual, added Helder. As there are no means of public transportations, many individuals are turning to regular vehicles running as taxi services.

“I don’t imagine any one of you would appreciate being hoisted up out of your chair and placed on the front seat of a [vehicle],” he said. “I’m wondering how many of us would put up with that if it were our child, our wife, our spouse or what have you. It just goes to the very point that everyone is entitled to a level of dignity.”

Helder went on to say he believes the need for this service has recently become more stark with the cancellation of the Greyhound bus service.

Though he doesn’t believe a public service will be “all things to all people,” Helder said an assessment like the survey prepared by the take force can begin to determine where the greatest needs are.

Coun. Darrell Troock said he thought the survey was a good start in finding out the needs of the community. When the results come in it will be easier to see where to go from there, he said.

Troock added he wondered if an assessment should be completed after the survey.

“They get a little bit more detail, more long range planning,” said Troock. “A survey is OK for local, but if you’re looking for any kind of provincial help I’m guessing you’ll need some kind of assessment versus a locally done survey.”

Oleskiw said the group was looking for suggestions as to how the surveys could be delivered to county residents.

County manager Mark Oberg said town residents have regular correspondence through mail such as water bills, however county residents do not. County sends out a newsletter a couple times per year, once in the fall and once in winter, he added.

“Those are our two opportunities, besides sending a special mail out,” said Oberg. “What we would have to do is investigate the different methods and their costs, and then bring them to council.”