With the impending end of CFB EsquimaltB次元官网网址檚 Blue Boat ferry, base officials are exploring alternatives that could pick up where the service will leave off.
Two Greater Victoria companies have approached the base about providing a private user-pay cross-harbour ferry that would carry military and civilian defence personnel between Colwood and Esquimalt.
B次元官网网址淭hey have to look at the numbers, the timings, the cost for them to run a vessel and to man the vessel. Basically, from a private enterprise perspective, it would all be about whether the service could generate a profit for them or not,B次元官网网址� said navy Capt. Craig Baines, commander of CFB Esquimalt.
The Blue Boat service saw a ridership of upwards of 400 people each day through the work week. That has dropped by 35 per cent since mid-January when one of two boats was taken out of service for maintenance.
The base commander said he canB次元官网网址檛 budge on his decision to cancel the service due to declining numbers of civilian personnel, largely due to attrition, who work on auxiliary fleet vessels. Blue Boat operators are needed to operate base tugs and barges, for example, said Baines.
B次元官网网址淭here is zero discretion.B次元官网网址� Baines said. B次元官网网址淓ven stretching (the ferry service) to April 30 is having an impact on our folks because itB次元官网网址檚 difficult for them to take leave.B次元官网网址�
The base will also offer the use of two vacant parcels of federal land in Colwood if B.C. Transit or a private bus company wants to offer a park-and-ride bus service. There is space for 350 to 500 vehicles.
But B.C. Transit officials say there is no money in the 2012 budget to extend the No. 25 route to that pick-up spot, or shell out $200,000 a year to put an extra public transit bus on the road to transport defence personnel from that location.
B次元官网网址淭here are 400 to 600 people taking this Blue Boat,B次元官网网址� said B.C. Transit spokesperson Meribeth Burton. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know how many of them will become B.C. Transit riders. We hope that itB次元官网网址檚 a majority of them, but itB次元官网网址檚 a risk that weB次元官网网址檙e not ready to assume at this time.B次元官网网址�
Given the Treasury BoardB次元官网网址檚 regulations that prevent public funds from being spent on getting federal employees to and from work, the base canB次元官网网址檛 shell out any money to help B.C. Transit or keep the Blue Boat ferry going.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 do it,B次元官网网址� Baines said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 be breaking the law.B次元官网网址�
That is why the he is trying to create opportunities for alternative transportation options.
The base will also launch a new carpool matching service on May 1 to connect defence commuters.
Those who use the service and carpool together will be B次元官网网址渁ssigned better parking spotsB次元官网网址� at the base, Baines said.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
