Having seen the city booth at The Quayside Festival and Sale, and reviewing the questionnaire on the city page website, it appears that not only is the city ignoring taxpayers call to allow a proposed water taxi service between Queensborough and Quayside, but also is missing the boat on being able to save taxpayer dollars.
First, the folks at Port Royal bought their properties on the assumption that there would be a water taxi service and, indeed, the developer, Aragon built a wharf to accommodate such a service as part of its contribution to community development. Who stands in the way?
Second, a group of entrepreneurs has been trying to get the city to approve such a service for more than five years with some encouragement, then inexplicable roadblocks to getting the more accessible service in place despite their position that the service is not in competition with a DAC-funded legacy project. What is the holdup?
Third, the water taxis are in place and licensed and could provide early access to residents while the long-awaited pedestrian/bicycle link pedals its way through the city's approval process. When is sooner rather than later, at little cost to taxpayers, not a good idea?
Fourth, the proponents came up with some secondhand wharfs and Port Metro Vancouver came up with $100,000 in funding when the city reallocated DAC funds away from the Wharf DAC project previously approved. The city engineer inspected these wharfs and deemed them OK with some slight modifications. How did this assessment change by the time the proponents were advised that these wharfs were n't suitable?
Fifth, the Quayside board asked that the water taxi service be considered in their long-standing request for the promised public consultation on the interconnection to Queensborough. Why did the city report mislead taxpayers by stating that the proponents would only operate during the summer as they clearly had contemplated a year-round operations with protection from the elements far superior to either of the interconnections currently being considered? Sixth, it is our understanding that the proponents have been asked to submit proposals to other municipalities for use of their docks and water taxis so the question is Where will these valuable assets end up if not snapped up by the city? Who, what, when, how, why and where - key questions from inquisitive taxpayers to be answered by the city.
E.C. "Ted" Eddy, E.C. "Ted" Eddy, via email via email
