BC Ferries plans to hold two public information sessions in November to present final details of alternative service provisions during the closure of the Westview and Little River ferry terminals next year.
Darin Guenette, BC Ferries manager of public affairs, said during the November 1 Northern Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee meeting that the company is looking at having meetings on November 26 and 27, in Powell River and on Texada Island. “The team will come and present the details that weren’t available at the summer session, like the flight details and water taxi details,” he said. “We didn’t have a bunch of those details yet, because we didn’t have those contracts in place in the summer. We now have all that.”
BC Ferries is upgrading both terminals and the work requires temporary berth closures. The Westview berth will be closed from January 12 to March 9, 2014. The Little River berth will be closed from January 12 to February 7, 2014.
From January 12 to February 7, ferry service to Vancouver Island will be between Saltery Bay and Departure Bay in Nanaimo. From February 8 to March 9, ferry service will be between Saltery Bay and Little River, with limited stops at Blubber Bay on Texada.
During the entire time, January 12 to March 9, ferry service for Texada will be between Blubber Bay and Saltery Bay. Dangerous goods sailings will be provided Wednesdays to Marble Bay on Texada.
City of Powell River Councillor Myrna Leishman read an email from Tor Birtig, director of infrastructure, during the meeting, which provided more details of the alternative service.
A 40-foot catamaran seating 24 with a capacity of 39 passengers will provide foot passenger service between Texada and Westview. There is a 37-foot vessel available as a backup. It will dock on the south side of the first stringer in the north end of Westview harbour and at the Texada Boat Club.
Taxi service will be provided to the mall for three of the runs. Regular transit service will be available, with the nearest stop at Marine Avenue and Duncan Street.
Shuttle service will be provided to and from Saltery Bay.
A 30-seat aircraft will be providing flights to and from Vancouver Island. Reservations are required and priority will be given for medical travel. Ground transportation will be provided from Comox airport to Courtenay/Comox and Campbell River, as well as from the water taxi at Westview to Powell River airport.
Captain Al de Koninck, marine superintendent, said he has met with the Canadian Coast Guard about a protocol for setting up emergency service for Texada.
More information about the berth closures and alternative service is available by following the link on BC Ferries website.
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