District to consider bus to Alice and Brohm lakes

Mayor Karen Elliott says the district would consider a bus to Alice and Brohm lakes as part of its transit plan.

“The District of Squamish is in the process of reviewing our Transit Future Action Plan that will update our priorities for transit in Squamish. We will consider access to the north parks (Alice and Brohm Lakes) again through this process,” she said.

The Mayor was responding to Rhea Doyle, a Howe Sound Secondary student, who wrote to her as part of a school assignment.

“If we had a shuttle bus we wouldn’t have to worry about as many people drinking and driving. It would reduce the number of people driving from the lake while they are intoxicated, endangering others and themselves,” Doyle said.

A shuttle bus, she said, would leave more parking spots for those who can’t use transit, and will cut down on dangerous emissions, while reducing dangerous driving.

Mayor Elliott said the council had been raising these issues with BC Transit as well as district staff. She said cost of the service for such a bus would need to be affordable and the district would need to develop a funding mode which was sustainable in long term.

The other challenge would be redeveloping the parking lots to create a bus turn, which would require cooperation of both BC Parks and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Working with other levels of government can be time consuming. However, these issues are not insurmountable.”

Doyle was one of the three students who sent letters to the Mayor with ideas and suggestions on issues they have faced in the community.

Lauren Hugues, another Howe Sound Secondary student, raised the issue of accessibility at Brennan Park Recreation Centre, and made suggestions on improving access for handicapped people.

Mayor Elliott said the district was working on a sponsorship-and-grant strategy for Brennan park and better accessibility could be incorporated as those plans took shape.

Another student, Sean Kite, suggested the district work on providing another skate park in Brackendale.

Mayor Elliott said a new skate park could cost $500,000 and the council needed to balance this with other potential costs. However, she mentioned that the ideas such as a skate park could be considered as part of the Squamish Youth Strategy that supported bringing programs to youth close to where they live.