<html><head><base href="x-msg://76/"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Greetings Jan, Ginny, Kevin and Randy,</div><div><br></div><div>Well it seems that the summer LRT doldrums are over perhaps initiated by the hurricane generated by Harper's $250M(-?) LRT shortfall and the prospect of Regional taxpayers having to pay $235(+?). And the proximity of the Municipal election and its anticipated pro/con LRT battles is a likely additional causative factor.</div><div><br></div><div>As for my own research-based position, for many months I have only supported an <b>enhanced</b> (I don't like very costly white elephants either) LRT system design (evolving conception) that includes:</div><div>1) The goal of <b>middle class LRT ridership</b> optimization to be primary so that the accelerating traffic jams on many Regional roads can be reversed. And the best way to achieve this goal is use the existing rail right-of-way (Ridership Corridor) between terminals at Ainslie and Northfield that will have sufficient MC attracting power via its speed, capacity, length and just-in-time express bus connections (that reach into our Tri-City suburbs and beyond to our township urban centres);</div><div>2) The secondary goal of <b>urban core (key) road intensification</b> (Intensification Corridors) -- so as to minimize urban sprawl -- needs to be staged more slowly because: a) it costs so much more per km. than using the rail right-of-way; and b) the Province's (short) funding was primarily intended for (Places to Grow Policy based) intensification (they will perhaps be encouraged to pay more once they see all the tax revenues produced by our exemplary W to K Intensification Corridor);</div><div>3) A radical reduction in cost as a result of:</div><div> i) the 1 & 2 goal shift resulting in the (new) first stage use of much more rail right-of-way and much less (disruptive) road;</div><div> ii) one track only along the King Intensification Corridor (with passing at the hospital station) will negate the need for most relocating of sidewalks & (below & above ground) utilities, and for all building modifications. Further, private businesses will be less disrupted during construction;</div><div> iii) sharing with CP & GEXR their infrequently used tracks, bridges, underpass, ... instead of redundantly building our own infrastructure (thus enabling us to require only 1 track of our own instead of two, avoid new 2-track and 3-track bridges, a 2 track underpass, etc.);</div><div> iv) getting free land from MTO near Sportsworld Dr. for a maintenance yard;</div><div> v) avoiding a very complex and problematic 2-track tunnel/station under the CN tracks on King St.;</div><div> vi) shifting the Kitchener HUB to inexpensive and/or free (railway) land between King & Joseph Streets and selling the properties bought between King and Duke Streets;</div><div> vii) the use of the Ultra battery or hydrogen combustion engines (we could produce in a renewable manner ourselves the necessary electricity and hydrogen) would avoid a complex (catenary) electrification system;</div><div> viii) Etc.</div><div><br></div><div>I am trying to get more specific cost details from Regional staff. However, I <b>tentatively sense </b>(I suffer from very informed intuition) that Jeff Outhit's implied suggestion (Saturday) that we might be able to accept a $675 project budget (we pay $150) -- especially with the above possible LRT enhancements -- is a budget amount that could likely do the job. And it could be within budget, especially if we are willing to learn from the many "within budget and on time" LRT success situations -- I especially like this website where their views are based on US GAO facts:</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; "><center><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="5"><b>Most Light Rail Projects Within Budget, on Time</b></font></center><center><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; "><a href="http://www.lightrailnow.org/myths/m_lrt009.htm">http://www.lightrailnow.org/myths/m_lrt009.htm</a></span></center><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; "><p>A favorite canard of light rail opponents is the accusation that all (or most) light rail transit (LRT) projects experience severe cost overruns; thus, projected costs of new projects are attacked for supposedly being severely "underestimated". Wendell Cox, Thomas Rubin, and other rail opponents claim, for example, that "80%" or more of light rail projects experience serious cost overruns. The result is a potent scare tactic to alarm the public and turn voters away from light rail.</p><p>in reality, the budget record of light rail projects has largely been admirable, particularly when compared with alternative large public-works undertakings such as highway projects. According to a US General Accounting Office (GAO) study in 1999, out of 14 projects examined, in cities such as Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Sacramento, about 60 percent of them on schedule and within budget. 79% were within 7% of budget or less.</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; ">And please, don't equate bus "lobbyist" (alias Dr. Bus) John Shortreed, a key member of bus "advocacy" group, Taxpayers for Sensible Transit, as an unbiased expert. (For this Jan Narveson catalyzed band, buses are their begrudging ideological gift to the working poor but which they will never or rarely use themselves -- their National Post friends don't even like public transit buses.) </span></p></span></span></div><div>I hope this is of some use and helps stimulate further discussion. And I urge all of you to steal my secret weapon -- good research including km's & km's of fieldwork! Research is absolutely necessary because of the very great LRT project complexity and because we very much need LRT project success to help enhance our reputation for great Innovation towards that of great Sustainable Innovation. </div><div><br></div><div>Best wishes,</div><div>Robert (Call me please, 519-696-2288)</div><div><br></div><div>PS: I had a good phone conversation with Randy after his email.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div>On 4-Sep-10, at 7:21 PM, Jan Liggett wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div bgcolor="#ffffff" style="word-wrap: break-word; "><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Hello Kevin,</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Randy makes the same points that Cambridge residents do. I didn't see anything in your response though as to why the townships and Cambridge residents should support this. Doug Craig no matter what any person in Cambridge or elsewhere thinks of him as mayor, IS speaking on behalf of the Cambridge taxpayer.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">The cost of 790,000 was back four years ago. It was rushed through ( I was there that night), with Jane Mitchell walking out because regional council was told they had to vote on it that night without proper evaluation of the project. She refused to be part of such a rushed and costly decision. They were told the funding deadline was imminent. The price has escalated since then (and that is without the 10 - 25% cost over runs), but no one wants to talk about that.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Cambridge and the townships were left out that night as well. The excuse is that we don't have a high enough bus ridership. We don't have high ridership because we HAVE to use our cars. The buses don't run when & where we want them to. A personal example; I have to drive my staff to the I Express bus stop if we work overtime after 5:00 and today Saturday, there are no buses into the industrial area where my company is located. Since he worked overtime today, he had to get someone to drive him from his home by Huron Rd and pick him up again. Across the street is a call centre with 1,000's of employees and one of their biggest problems is the buses.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">I need employees to be able to get to and from work without having to drive them myself. It's not enough to say Cambridge will get an upgraded bus system but that they should pay the same amount as Kitchener and Waterloo residents for the LRT. We should have had a good bus system years ago and yet we are expected to trust that we will eventually get what we are already paying for and not getting. Would those who support the LRT support paying for it without Cambridge and township residents helping with the costs? Or if they do pay equally would KW residents approve of them getting free bus service in those areas? In other words, what would KW residents be willing to give to the townships and Cambridge to make this equitable?</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Even if it were to be built now, within 30 years there will have to be upgrades, so to use your projections doesn't seem feasible.</font></div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">This isn't just about the environment when a large portion of the population are left out. It is also about fairness or else it becomes a situation of the haves and the have nots. What solutions can be found? Thinking caps please.</font></div><div> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2">Jan</font> </div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div><div>----- Original Message -----</div><blockquote style="padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; margin-right: 0px; "><div style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; background-position: initial initial; "><b>From:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="kevinthomason@mac.com" href="mailto:kevinthomason@mac.com">Kevin Thomason</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="randybmclean@rogers.com" href="mailto:randybmclean@rogers.com">randybmclean@rogers.com</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Cc:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="all@gren.ca" href="mailto:all@gren.ca">all@gren.ca</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Saturday, September 04, 2010 4:12 PM</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: [All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update</div><div><br></div>Randy,<div><br></div><div>Good points, however with 300,000 more people coming in the next 20 years we have no choice but to put in the required public transit needed to allow the city cores to take the majority of the density of the people or the alternative is that you will no longer be living out in the countryside - you will be overrun by endless kilometers of urban sprawl like Mississauga, Milton or Ajax.</div><div><br></div><div>If we want to keep our rural lands and countryside we need to accommodate these people in the current urban areas and make it appealing to them. Yes, $800 million is expensive but it is the same cost as a few bridges over the Grand at $83 million each, or a few kilometers of new expressways averaging roughly $14 million/per km. Even if we have to come up with $300 million locally it is still only a few months worth of the $1 billion/year Regional budget and surely we can find a way to come up with it over the next three decades - the taxes and user fees of the new folks alone will more than pay for it many times over. Rapid transit is still by far the cheapest of any of the alternatives - and way better than buses which won't even take the capacities they are projecting and will still cost almost $600 million.</div><div><br></div><div>We have to remember that the rapid transit isn't really being built for any of us here now but for the tens of thousands of people who aren't even here yet. And don't worry - if we get a successful main-line running from mall to mall it won't be long until additional lines run from campus to campus. Just look at all the LRT lines now in Calgary, Portland, or even emerging cities such as Kuala Lumpur or anywhere in China. If they can do it successfully so can we.</div><div><br></div><div>What we need to do now is ensure that the LRT or any sort of public transit improvements don't die because of mis-information, bad media coverage, or a jealous Doug Craig shutting down the entire project because he isn't getting trains at the onset like Kitchener or Waterloo. Even the CTV poll the other day claiming 72% were against the LRT actually was worded more about about increasing taxes than public transit. It is amazing that anyone responded that they were willing to pay more taxes let alone 28% saying they were willing to pay more for better public transit.</div><div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font><br></div><div>This is going to become the major issue of the election (likely even more than amalgamation or fluoride). GREN needs to help ensure people understand the issue, the consequences one way or another, and the possibilities rather than just getting carried away by a single budget number taken out of context with no regards to all kinds of other capital expenditures already underway such as the $500 million in construction happening in town on our university/college campuses, the $300 million being spent on new sewage treatment facilities, the $450 million being spent on roads in just 3 years, the $150 million being spent on GO Transit, the $1.5 billion being proposed for the pipeline to Lake Erie, etc. </div><div><br></div><div>Even the $432 per person capital cost of the LRT cited by the Record the other day only works out to $14.40 per year over the next 30 years. Surely it is worth $14 each for all the benefits world-class transit will bring our community be it better air quality, new investment, jobs, vibrant urban cores, quality of life, protecting our countryside, etc. The costs of not doing this well will surely be more than $14.</div><div><br></div><div>Kevin.</div><div><br><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">----------------------------</font></div></div><br><div><div>On 2010-09-03, at 8:43 AM,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:randybmclean@rogers.com">randybmclean@rogers.com</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="word-spacing: 0px; font: normal normal normal medium/normal Helvetica; text-transform: none; text-indent: 0px; white-space: normal; letter-spacing: normal; border-collapse: separate; orphans: 2; widows: 2; "><div lang="EN-CA" vlink="purple" link="blue"><div class="WordSection1"><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">I will ask the questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">1/ have major capital, multi-government projects ever had significant overruns in cost?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">2/ has any government ever backed out of their promise to finance?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">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?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">4/ Why are these end terminals from shopping mall to shopping mall and not from education centre to education centre?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; ">5/ Does anyone else believe this will never get off the ground?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div><div style="padding-right: 0cm; border-top-color: rgb(181, 196, 223); border-top-width: 1pt; border-top-style: solid; padding-left: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-top: 3pt; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; "><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; ">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:all-bounces@gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">all-bounces@gren.ca</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>[<a href="mailto:all-bounces@gren.ca">mailto:all-bounces@gren.ca</a>]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>On Behalf Of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Robert Milligan<br><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>September-03-10 2:16 AM<br><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Louisette Lanteigne<br><b>Cc:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:all@gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">all@gren.ca</a><br><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Re: [All] Fw: Rapid Transit Funding Update<o:p></o:p></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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 <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 7.5pt; "><a href="http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8551</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>& <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6762f77a-77de-11df-82c3-00144feabdc0.html</a></span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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). <o:p></o:p></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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!<o:p></o:p></div><div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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,<b>we can proceed to determine the best balance between available funding and the long-term, best interests of our community.” </b><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>timely and equitable</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>manner "the long-term, best interests of our community.” <o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">Robert (definitely not in support of same old, same old -- unless appropriately enhanced)<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">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<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">supplemented by heaters that burn air pollution free hydrogen [that we produce ourselves from solar cells over our major land-fill sites].<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">i) <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008250414.html" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008250414.html</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(I've been invited to take a ride on it when they come to the US in late fall, viz. "</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">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 4<sup>th</sup> quarter of this year. If you would like a ride, let me know.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">"</span></span><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">ii) <a href="http://www.greencarsaregreat.com/blog/east-penn-manufacturing-granted-32-5-million-to-push-for-breakthrough-ultrabattery-in-the-united-states.php6" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.greencarsaregreat.com/blog/east-penn-manufacturing-granted-32-5-million-to-push-for-breakthrough-ultrabattery-in-the-united-states.php6</a> (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."<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">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.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"</span></span><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">2.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>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.</b><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">Note: bcc's have been also sent to other parties who might be interested.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">On 2-Sep-10, at 8:55 PM, Louisette Lanteigne wrote:<o:p></o:p></div></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br><br><o:p></o:p></div><table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="padding-right: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm; "><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br><br>--- On<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Thu, 9/2/10, RTInfo<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i><<a href="mailto:rtinfo@region.waterloo.on.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">rtinfo@region.waterloo.on.ca</a>></i></b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>wrote:<o:p></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><br>From: RTInfo <<a href="mailto:rtinfo@region.waterloo.on.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">rtinfo@region.waterloo.on.ca</a>><br>Subject: Rapid Transit Funding Update<br>To:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:butterflybluelu@rogers.com" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">butterflybluelu@rogers.com</a><br>Date: Thursday, September 2, 2010, 4:25 PM<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">It is my pleasure to share with you some important news about the Region of Waterloo’s rapid transit project.<br><br>Below you will find the news release from today's announcement.<br><br>Nancy Button<br>Director, Rapid Transit<br><br><br>The Government of Canada announces funding for rapid transit in Waterloo Region<br><br>(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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br>“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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><br>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.<br><br>“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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br> <br>In June 2009, based on the extensive evaluation and analysis conducted during the Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment, Regional Council:<br>• Approved a light rail transit (LRT) system from Waterloo to Cambridge as the Region’s long-term preferred rapid transit system;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>• 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<br>• 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.<br> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>For more information on the rapid transit project, please visit the website at <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/rapidtransit" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.region.waterloo.on.ca/rapidtransit</a>.<br><br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; ">_______________________________________________<br>All mailing list<br><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">All@gren.ca</a><br><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a><o:p></o:p></div></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0cm; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; "><o:p></o:p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>All mailing list<br><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">All@gren.ca</a><br><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>_______________________________________________<br>All mailing list<br><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca">All@gren.ca</a><br><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a><br></blockquote>_______________________________________________<br>All mailing list<br><a href="mailto:All@gren.ca">All@gren.ca</a><br><a href="http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca">http://gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca</a><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br></body></html>