[All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update

Sat Sep 4 16:34:15 EDT 2010

Well Randy, I certainly HOPE it never gets off the ground.The estimated price will be at least 30-40% higher than currently anticipated.  Kitchener was to have been able to do  downtown roads   pipes etc renovations  for  $7 million...it went above$ 10  million. When you start digging up ,old roads and pipes ,you're promised to run into many many many  ugly surprises.   I believe the consultants give the price under "Ideal " circumstances   but it never works out that way.  Govt. has already slashed the 'promised" dollars back   does anyone think we'll get extra $ help when (not IF)  the project runs way over budget.  Our feds are broke  our cities are broke and the tax payers are carrying very heavy burdens currently. 
John Shortreed ,a transportation expert, has been quoted  in the Record and on TV as saying firmly....we do not have the population to support this system   It needs one million people to even make it viable...and I say firmly we do not have the Water to feed one million people  It is anticipated the Region will have taken in an additional 250,000 immigrants by 2030-2035. And we have been told by water experts that with Global Warming we can't count on piping to Lake Erie ;  the only Lake available to us.  If I ever write a letter to the Record  I will not mention my association with GREN as GREN has gone public as supporting it  and I have not supported it frm the start.     Ginny

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: randybmclean at rogers.com 
  To: 'Robert Milligan' ; 'Louisette Lanteigne' 
  Cc: all at gren.ca 
  Sent: Friday, September 03, 2010 8:43 AM
  Subject: Re: [All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update

  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&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-million-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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