The public transportation service in Westlock is not likely to terminated on the July deadline previously set out by town council.
Deputy Mayor Sheila Foley said the announcement that the town would discontinue the service was meant to get different community groups talking about how the service can become more sustainable.
“The town isn’t about to just close the doors on it,” she said. “We wanted to get commitments from the community, and once we see that commitment is there, we’ll work with that.”
She was one of about two-dozen representatives from local government and community groups in attendance at a public transportation meeting Jan. 31 hosted by Jayme Baxter, executive director of Westlock Family & Community Support Services.
Westlock town council, which has been funding the Westlock & District Seniors and Disabled bus since the county and the village of Clyde bowed out of the service several years ago, announced in December that the service would discontinue as it is running at an annual deficit of about $50,000.
Foley said the town would be willing to contribute a part of the cost toward that operating deficit, but wouldn’t say exactly how much of a commitment would be available.
Clyde Coun. Christa Clausing and Westlock County reeve Charles Navratil also expressed an interest in getting involved with the project, but wouldn’t offer any specifics until the issue can be discussed at future council meetings.
“We’re looking at it,” Navratil said. “Let’s just leave it at that.”
The bus service will be a topic of discussion at a coming joint services meeting, which is scheduled for early March.
For the most part, the Jan. 31 meeting was effectively a brainstorming session about different ways to make the bus service sustainable — whether that’s through grant money, commercial sponsorships, service-group grants or changing the format of the bus itself.
Kelly Harris-Martin, manager of Community Futures Tawatinaw Region, did some research into what other communities have done to support similar bus services, and pointed out there are many options available to keep the service going, but one way or another something will have to change in the near future.
“The biggest challenge we have right now is that come Sept. 1, in one way, shape or form the service is going to be different,” she said. “It’s probably going to be better; we’ll have to accept that different isn’t bad, and we’ll have to work together on this.
In the meantime, a meeting to formally establish a committee or society to address the public transportation issue, and specifically how the service will be funded, has been scheduled for Feb. 11 at 7:30 a.m. at the Legion.
Representative from several community groups, including Community Futures Tawatinaw Region, the Westlock Legion, the Westlock Independence Network, and the Anglican Church, have already committed to having members sitting on this committee but more volunteers will be needed.
Anyone looking for more information or looking to get involved can contact Baxter at 780-349-5900.
