[All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update

Fri Sep 3 08:43:44 EDT 2010

I will ask the questions.

1/ have major capital, multi-government projects ever had significant
overruns in cost?

2/ has any government ever backed out of their promise to finance?

3/ Living in North Dumfries why do I have to pay for something I see no use
for especially when I only go to Kitchener and Waterloo about 2 times/ month
and Cambridge about 1 time per week? 

4/ Why are these end terminals from shopping mall to shopping mall and not
from education centre to education centre?

5/ Does anyone else believe this will never get off the ground?

From: all-bounces at gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Robert
Milligan
Sent: September-03-10 2:16 AM
To: Louisette Lanteigne
Cc: all at gren.ca
Subject: Re: [All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update

Thanks Lulu. Really great news, finally, especially because the need to be
frugal can lead to significant technological innovation as in India and
China. See http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14
<http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551> &t=8551 &
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html

If so,  things will get even more interesting as the Region hopefully
struggles to avoid designing an LRT system that -- on detailed analysis --
can unfortunately be considered a potentially very costly "white elephant".
I prefer potentially moderately costing successful "green elephants" that
can fly fast (between terminals at Northfield & Ainslie) carrying many and
many types of people on their back while very conservatively (my tip of the
hat to Stephen Harper) using only renewable energy (via solar cells -- for
UltraBattery charging --covering the terminal areas). 

Will our Regional Government have the necessary insight, vision and wisdom
to dream such a "green elephant" into reality? Or will a dream of a
potential "green elephant" be forced to become a "white elephant" out of
conventional bureaucratic fear of thinking outside-the-box? It is indeed
unfortunate that  our Regional Government in not supported in such potential
creative innovation by a community culture of World-class pioneering
innovation!

I particularly appreciated the implied openness to some new possibilities in
Chair Ken Seiling's statement, "Now that we know the amount of the federal
and provincial funding, we can proceed to determine the best balance between
available funding and the long-term, best interests of our community." 

A key question is, "To help prevent our community's perceived innovative
potential from being stomped on by a costly "white elephant", what IDEAS
within the current LRT system design need to be enhanced -- with minimum
disruption of the existing Environmental Assessment -- by better IDEAS (that
have become apparent in recent months) for successful goal realization so as
to be of an affordable cost and serve in a timely and equitable manner "the
long-term, best interests of our community." 

Robert (definitely not in support of same old, same old -- unless
appropriately enhanced)

P.S.: 1. Check out first how advanced some key Japanese LRT manufacturers
(especially Kinki Sharyo) are in battery powered LRT vehicles, then second
the now proven UltraBattery that would likely enable my suggested terminal
to terminal on-board (braking enhanced) electrical energy storage
requirements to be met. (The increased demand for air conditioning could be
supplemented by solar cells on the LRT roof and heating for the coldest days

supplemented by heaters that burn air pollution free hydrogen [that we
produce ourselves from solar cells over our major land-fill sites].

i) http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008250414.html (I've been invited to
take a ride on it when they come to the US in late fall, viz. "We will again
present this vehicle at Innotrans and will have a scale model of the vehicle
in our exhibit.  At that time, the whole rail industry will become aware of
the vehicle.  We plan to demonstrate this vehicle in Charlotte NC in the 4th
quarter of this year.  If you would like a ride, let me know."

ii)
http://www.greencarsaregreat.com/blog/east-penn-manufacturing-granted-32-5-m
illion-to-push-for-breakthrough-ultrabattery-in-the-united-states.php6 (As
East Penn will not be set to manufacture these until 2012, I have suggested
that Kinki Sharyo enhance their demonstration tour vehicle to be able to
switch between their Lithium-ion battery and Furakawa's -- same as
sub-licensee East Penn Mfg.'s --proven UltraBattery which they manufacture
now! Maybe their possible discussions with East Penn will lead to this
initial action.) viz."Additionally, as I explained our vehicle is a platform
that can be upgraded with new technology as it is advanced. ...  if East
Penn would like to work on a development with us I will float the idea."

2. I only wish that there was some way to better reach the community (beyond
a measly 200 word, editor distorted, letter to the Record) with viable green
IDEAS for the LRT system design -- maybe I can create an IDEA to achieve
this.

Note: bcc's have been also sent to other parties who might be interested.

On 2-Sep-10, at 8:55 PM, Louisette Lanteigne wrote:

--- On Thu, 9/2/10, RTInfo <rtinfo at region.waterloo.on.ca> wrote:

From: RTInfo <rtinfo at region.waterloo.on.ca>
Subject: Rapid Transit Funding Update
To: butterflybluelu at rogers.com
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2010, 4:25 PM

It is my pleasure to share with you some important news about the Region of
Waterloo's rapid transit project.

Below you will find the news release from today's announcement.

Nancy Button
Director, Rapid Transit

The Government of Canada announces funding for rapid transit in Waterloo
Region

(September 2, 2010) The Government of Canada will provide one-third of
eligible costs, up to $265 million to support the construction of the
Region's rapid transit project. Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to
Waterloo Region today to make the announcement. 

"We are pleased that the Federal government recognizes the importance of the
Region's rapid transit project, and has made this funding commitment to the
initial phase of the project," said Regional Chair Ken Seiling. 

In light of the Federal government's funding commitment today and the
Province of Ontario's commitment of $300 million, the Region can now move
forward with the planning of the project's scope, design details, cost and
Regional funding options.  The goal will be to identify the Phase 1 project
that provides best value to the community and is affordable to Regional
taxpayers given the available federal and provincial funding.  Regional
staff will evaluate various options for consideration and final decision by
Regional Council.

"Now that we know the amount of the federal and provincial funding, we can
proceed to determine the best balance between available funding and the
long-term, best interests of our community," said Regional Chair Ken
Seiling. 

In June 2009, based on the extensive evaluation and analysis conducted
during the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment, Regional Council:
.    Approved a light rail transit (LRT) system from Waterloo to Cambridge
as the Region's long-term preferred rapid transit system; 
.    Recognized that a staged implementation would be required to reflect
the financial resources required and to ensure the best match of transit
technology to ridership and intensification potential; and
.    Approved the initial phase of the project which includes LRT from
Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall and adapted bus rapid transit from
Fairview Park Mall to the Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge.

For more information on the rapid transit project, please visit the website
at  www.region.waterloo.on.ca/rapidtransit.

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