Due to popular demand, here is a link to a copy of the GO PIC documents:

(Click here — hosted by hostovsky.com) - WARNING – 8 MEG DOWNLOAD

Please get involvd — if after reviewing this document you have comments, DO NOT hesitate to send them to the GO Transit and RJ Burnside project management. There is plenty of time for your concerns to be heard.

Secondly, there have been numerous media reports surrounding this event, which I will link to below:

First, my partner in all of this, David Graham has posted an excellent analysis on the subject on his blog. David and I have been working on GO Transit to this region for years and are both elated the time is drawing nearer. It is a credit to all the readers of this site where we both feel we made a difference in changing opinions in such a short time..

On that note, the Waterloo Record seems to indicate the about face of Waterloo Region politicians now supporting GO outright — fantastic. Feel free to read here and here (Thanks, Nick!)

And the Guelph Mercury “Trains may stop in Guelph by 2011″

What great momentum. Again, get your input in now while you still can. Believe it or not, much public input is obvious in the current PIC documents and more will only go a long way to ensure our GO Train service meets the needs of our unique Waterloo, Wellington ,and Halton HIlls regions.

- Steve

Good evening, here is my brief report from the Guelph PIC:

• Reported 75 people attended, including many Guelph city councillors
• This is the first fast tracked EA under province’s new guidelines
• Service start date is expected to be 2011
• All of what has been proposed is just that — subject to change

Some details

• One of the major bottlenecks, the Credit River Bridge on CN, is going to be double tracked starting next year, in advance of Kitchener/Guelph expansion
• Baden was not listed as a layover location at the PIC, Petersburg, “IRA Needles” (between Petersburg and Kitchener) and Breslau were proposed alternatively
• Three kitchener stations were proposed (IRA Needles, Downtown (by VIA station) and Breslau)
• Three Guelph station locations were proposed (Lafarge, Downtown, Watson Road (Guelph East)
• Acton is on the map, with two proposed stations (west, and east (hide house))

I’ll post more, and edit this once I recieve electronic copies of the report.

Thanks to the fine folks at GO Transit and RJ Burnside for hosting this, a job well done.

GO Transit is holding Public Infomation Centre’s — the first so far, for people interested in learning more or participating in the planning process for this expansion. The information centres will occur as follows:

• Tuesday, September 23, 2008, Italian Canadian Club, Guelph. 135 Ferguson St, 519-821-1110
• Thursday September 25, 2008, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 54 Queen St North, Kitchener, 519-578-4430
• Wednesday October 1 208, Halton Hills Cultural Centre, 9 Church St, Halton Hills, 905-877-7915

Of interest — the study area is from Mount Pleasant to Baden, Ontario. Baden is further west than had been previously known, it is suspected they may be planning a layover yard in the area but local newspapers  indicated local mayors are looking to achieve full rail service..

- Steve Host

To transit advocates: this is no suprise. We want more transit, but transit systems are letting us down.  The groups “Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Urban Transit Association ” surveyed 1100 canadians which found some interesting results. Here are some articles from media organizations of interest:

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=0f53a3a5-eaef-4121-a7dd-3d3b8ca5b042

Also, for those keeping on top of local happenings, it would appear the Transit hub is now scheduled for 2010 instead of 2009…. this being the GO Transit (Bus, maybe Train), Guelph Transit, Greyhound and VIA integrated station in downtown Guelph.

- Steve