Sarnia-Lambton is a community in crisis regarding inter-city transportation
Local residents are urged to attend upcoming Town Hall Workshop regarding VIA Rail cutbacks
Sarnia chosen as lead city to kick off Canada-wide series of Town Hall Workshops
August 23, 2012 – Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario – Transport Action Canada, the country’s leading citizen transportation advocacy group, has chosen Sarnia as the launch community for the first of a Canada-wide series of Town Hall Workshops regarding VIA Rail.
Participation by Sarnia-Lambton residents at this upcoming Town Hall Workshop is vital. Sarnia-Lambton’s access to passenger rail service has declined dramatically. Offering four arriving and four departing trains daily at Sarnia’s station in the late 1980s, VIA now services Sarnia-Lambton daily with just one late night arrival and one early morning departure. Annual ridership of 170,000 20 years ago has dwindled to 35,000. The VIA Rail station will soon be unstaffed.
The Workshop is slated for 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., September 08, 2012, at the Lambton Inn, 1485 London Road, Sarnia.
Local citizens are urged to register for the Town Hall Workshop as soon as possible at http://tinyurl.com/TownHallWorkshop, or by calling the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership at 519-332-1820 or 1-800-972-7642.
“We are a community in crisis regarding inter-city transportation,” states Sarnia-Lambton Partnership general manager George Mallay. “Do we want regular, competitively priced, scheduled, comfortable, on time, advertised service? This is each Sarnia-Lambton resident’s chance to express what they think this community needs; and an opportunity to offer suggestions on how it can be achieved. It is vital that every Sarnia-Lambton resident who is able come out to this meeting.”
The City of Sarnia, the County of Lambton, the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Partnership have been working co-operatively over the past few years to establish better inter-city transportation links. Chamber President Garry McDonald notes, “Acting on this opportunity for the voices of businesses and citizens to be heard is important. The federal government must learn that public transportation in communities like ours across the country is important if we are to have any future role in the economic growth of Canada.”
The “National Dream Renewed: The VIA Rail Canada Town Hall Project” is an initiative of Transport Action Canada, together with Transport Action Atlantic, Transport 2000 Quebec, and Transport Action Ontario, to address recent cuts to VIA Rail’s passenger service, and gather Canadians’ views of VIA Rail, and their suggestions on how it can be reformed to sustainably provide the rail passenger service they want and will support through their taxes and their ticket dollars.
“This is one opportunity for all of us to input our views regarding VIA service for our community,” says County Warden Steve Arnold. “I will ensure that these points of view are forwarded to VIA and to Minister Fletcher in advance of VIA’s community visit in late October, so those outside our area who can influence VIA’s future direction understand how our community feels.”
“The Town Hall meeting is about the future of passenger rail service in Sarnia-Lambton and Canada. It’s the public’s chance to give their views, opinions and insights that will then be presented to Via Rail and the Government,” notes Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley.
Transportation writer and policy advisor Greg Gormick will facilitate the workshop, which will include breakout working groups and a discussion of the breakout group findings.
For further information contact:
George Mallay, General Manager
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
mallay@www.sarnialambton.on.ca
519-332-1820