http://www.news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2010/06/largest-transit-expansion-in-waterloo-history.html

”

Ontario is providing the Region of Waterloo with $300 million to build rapid transit.

The project would be the largest single investment in transit infrastructure in the history of Waterloo region and includes light rail transit in both Waterloo and Kitchener, and bus rapid transit in Cambridge.

These transit improvements will:

• better connect the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge

• link to Grand River Transit and park and ride facilities

• connect to future GO Transit services. “

From the Guelph Mercury, June 29:

GUELPH – The city will expropriate about four parking spaces’ worth of land from a downtown hotel if it is not able to amicably reach an agreement on the property, city councillors voted last night. At issue is a 571-square-foot triangular parcel of the Travelodge parking lot, at the intersection of Carden and Macdonell streets. The city needs it to realign Carden Street and create two bus bays adjacent to the hotel as part of the construction of an intermodal transit hub along the eastern end of Carden. Council also voted to enter agreements with Via Rail to acquire the train station and with Canadian National Railway to acquire the land under the train station as well as the former site of Locomotive 6167, which was recently moved to the south side of the tracks. A staff report noted the Via station will require upgrades and renovations to, among other things, make it fully accessible and create Guelph Transit office space and a drivers’ lunch room. These renovations are expected to cost about $600,000 which will be funded from an infrastructure stimulus fund contingency, if available, “otherwise staff will identify an alternative source of funding such as the Hydro note fund,” the staff report indicated.

Wow: So the G20 is effectively going to cancel ALL VIA train service and frustrate passengers looking for connections in Toronto Why? Because we only have one hub for rail travel, and it’s Toronto.

Is there a better illustration of why we need multiple hubs (like we had in the 1950’s) than this? VIA Rail has this to say:

All VIA trains between Toronto and Sarnia via Kitchener and  London (“north main line”) and points enroute will originate/terminate  in Brampton. The VIA/GO Transit station is located at 31 Church St.  West, Brampton.

All VIA trains between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Windsor,  London and points enroute will originate/terminate in Oakville. The  VIA/GO Transit station is located at 200 Cross Ave., Oakville.

All VIA trains between Toronto and Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal,  Halifax, Gaspé and points enroute will originate/terminate in Oshawa.  The VIA/GO Transit station is located at 915 Bloor St. West, Oshawa.

I can translate this: Toronto is closed for business between June 24-27, and good luck if you plan to travel by train.

However, GO Transit will operate into Union, and VIA ticketholders will be allowed to transfer for free, to GO services. As well, VIA will provide shuttle services to those making connections. For example, someone travelling from Guelph to Montreal will be taxi’ed from Brampton to Oshawa (at VIA’s discretion of course)

VIA Rail also plans to operate weekend schedules for these dates.

.. Amazing!

What? No parking?

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/opinions/article/209984

Busing to GO the way to GO:

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/article/210030

“No parking will Kill GO in Guelph”

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/article/209161

This from Paul Langan:

570 News (Radio) gets in on the act with an interview w/Carl Zehr, Kitchener mayor, more of the same, but might be something of interest to readers:

http://www.570news.com/news/local/article/49382–dispute-threatens-to-derail-commuter-trains-to-kitchener

Plans for Weber St widening and underpass at the Railway tracks (which would ultimately become part of the GO Station for Kitchener downtown)

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/693923

An overlooked aspect of Guelph’s transit strategy , which you can see here , which was decided by Committee including David Graham, noted contributor to this site and transit issues in the KW Area.

For those interested in Transportation History, I am planning to attend, as well as many others.

Guelph, Ontario:  On Friday, April 30, 7:30 pm Helmut Ostermann of
Waterloo will present a slide show, Striking Moments in Transportation
History, at Guelph Civic Museum. The presentation will include coverage
of early steam railway, streetcar, and interurban electric trains as
well as aviation, marine, vintage bus and automobile images. Most of
these images have never before been published. Mr. Ostermann has been
collecting historic original film images, primarily of rail, for thirty
five years. He runs a traditional photographic darkroom and sells
original silver black and white prints to fellow collectors and
enthusiasts.

Tickets to the presentation are $10 and available only at the door.
Doors open at 7 pm and the presentation is at 7:30 pm.

This is a fundraiser organized by the Restoration Committee of
Locomotive 6167. The mandate of the Committee is to carry out a cosmetic
restoration of Locomotive 6167 for the purpose of creating a static
display to interpret the history and importance of the railroad to
Guelph. Locomotive No. 6167 is one of three existing locomotives of this
type in North America. She was built in March 1940 and was one of 203
“Northern” locomotives used by Canadian National Railways for both
passenger and freight service between 1927 and 1960. The restoration is
currently underway and will be completed in 2011.

Guelph Civic Museum is located at 6 Dublin Street South. Please contact
Katherine McCracken at 519-836-1221 X2775 for more information.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/703362

Carl Zehr, Kitchener Mayor:

““We have communicated verbally and in writing to both parties to come to an agreement,” Zehr, who is heading up a coalition of mayors along the rail line, said.”

“VIA has asked the Canada Transport Agency, a federal regulator, to arbitrate the issues.”

“Until the lease expires in 2018, both VIA and GO must first come to an agreement with the Goderich Exeter Railway about the fees to be paid for increased use of the track before service can be improved.”

Editor comment: Where is CN in all of this? CN Owns the Railway, and like any landowner/buildingowner, they will end up with the improvements when the tenant walks away. It’s not like GEXR has to pay for much if anything.  It’s as if the Government offers to put an addition on a house you rent, you say “NO! who’s going to pay for the extra heating bills”  while the landlord SHOULD be in the background saying “yes please!”

Where is the landlord (CN) in this? News editors: Give Mark Hallman of CN Public Relations a call, see what he has to say.

http://news.guelphmercury.com/article/624946

While Council decided unanimously, there was certainly controversy

““I think of the shack we wouldn’t let be torn down for some poor citizen, and yet we’re going to tear down a cotton mill,” Coun. Gloria Kovach said.”

Susan Ratcliffe, president of the local branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario”“I’m here to ask you to leave this site on the municipal register . . . to allow for an extra 60 days’ thinking time, investigation time, consultation time to investigate the best use for this irreplaceable site,” Ratcliffe said.”

I hate to say it, while I agree that preservation of heritage is important — all these extra studies, and thinking time (Lafarge lands, Imico site, Jail Lands) have wasted so many good opportunities, the City of Guelph seems to be the king of studies, delays, and foot-dragging. Imico and Lafarge is still a wasteland, and the Jail Lands are underutilized.  I’m glad Council has seen this is the only opportunity for a multi-modal transit terminal and decided not to drag on any longer.

It would be in the best interest of the City AND heritage not only to remove from the designation list — but THEN pursue GO transit to see if anything can be preserved in the kiss-n-ride design. Remove the risk that we will lose the transit terminal, THEN see if GO has any wiggle room in preservation efforts.

It seems this is now the only recourse of the heritage folks..

And for those who want to see what the Transit Terminal is going to look like, check these images out at Guelph Politico blog:

http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.com/2010/04/glimpse-at-future-of-transit.html

“City looking the other way when rules get in the way”

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/623320

Transit hub ‘next wave’ in GO future

http://www.guelphtribune.ca/news/article/207997

Also read the comments on this site, and join in on the discussion! I am told the decision will be made at Monday’s meeting of Guelph City Council.