[All] Please vote on GREN position

[Caterina Lindman]

Hi everyone.  I'm sorry I missed the meeting on Wednesday.  It sounds like
you had an interesting discussion about the transit proposals that the
Region is considering.  CREW (Community Renewable Energy of Waterloo) have
issued a press release<http://www.crewzone.ca/pubs/release_CREW_transit_study_2011-03-10.pdf>and
a research
paper <http://www.crewzone.ca/pubs/rpt_CREW_Transit_Options_2011-03-10.pdf>that
I found helpful and inspiring.  The research paper is an easy-to-read
comparison of different transit options.  The conclusion of their study is
that Aerorail would be the best option because it can be implemented at a
relatively low cost, without having to disrupt as much of the current
infrastructure.

I can support the motion you have presented, if in item 4), by new
technologies, we include above-grade suspension rails, ie Aerobus or
Aerorail.

CREW's recommendation is to build an Aerorail pilot project from Laurier to
University of Waterloo to R&T Park, at the cost of approximately $50 M.  My
experience with the I-express is that hardly anyone gets on or off at R&T
park, so the pilot should perhaps include McCormick arena as well to serve a
lot of student transportation needs.

On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:41 AM, John Jackson <jjackson at web.ca> wrote:

>  Last night at the GREN meeting we discussed what position GREN should
> take on the current light rail transit proposal before Waterloo Regional
> Council. The Council will be making a decision on June 15 and will be
> holding public input sessions to hear from delegations prior to that.
>
> After an hour of discussion, the following motion was made as a position
> that we should take to Regional Council:
> GREN Motion: 1) Urge Region to adopt a combination of L9 & L3 (the
> administration’s recommendation to council). [this means that they commit
> now to having a light rail train system all the way from St. Jacob’s farmers
> market to the Ainslie Street bus terminal in Cambridge (L9), but that they
> begin by having rail only from St. Jacob’s farmers market to Fairview Mall
> and Bus rapid transit to Cambridge (L3); 2) Urge Region to now commit to and
> immediately begin rapidly implementing a reformed bus system throughout the
> three communities, with new Express Bus Routes and new local bus route
> system as shown on page 10 of their “Connecting to the Future” document; 3)
> integrate this with a reassessment of the road system needs given that the
> bus and rail system is dramatically improved; 4) while the details of the
> LRT system are being developed over the next two years, that they continue
> to explore new technologies; and 5) ensure that planning policies are
> implemented (as described in the Region’s new official plan) that will
> support the transit system.
>
> This motion was passed, but was not passed unanimously. Therefore, we
> decided to ask our paid-up GREN members who were not present last night to
> vote on the motion to bring us to a decision.
>
> Please send me your vote by Sunday May 1. I have also attached the Region’s
> information handout that explains L9, L3 and has the page 10 map referred to
> in the motion.
>
> Thanks for your immediate attention to this matter.
>
> John
> --
> John Jackson
> 17 Major Street
> Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4R1
> 519-744-7503
>
>
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