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Post by Mike C on Mar 12, 2006 19:52:30 GMT -8
Effective '96-'06 I've got in front of me as I type this very message to you the BC Ferries 10 year plan. On the cover: "Advancing the fleet.. Building the Province... BC Ferries 10 year plan: meeting your needs."
What's covered: THE FASTCATS: why they're the greatest; Duke Point Terminal: Set to open in the spring of '97; Century Class Ferries: M/V Skeena Queen; Upgrading Terminals: The new passenger buuilding at Tsawwassen; Mid-Coast Service: Discovery Coast on the Newly renovated Queen of Chilliwack; Safety above all: Safety is most important; More effective operations: The 10 year plan is the best; A Good investment: The 10 year planis cool.
This was published by the NDP (you can probably tell)
CFI: CFI (Catamaran Ferries International) is a wholly owned subsidary of BC Ferries, operating out of North Vancouver.
It's a brochure, so I can scan it if you want me to. Let me know by PM or posting on this thread.
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Post by Curtis on Mar 12, 2006 23:33:24 GMT -8
Sure Scan it We welcome any history even if it flopped Darn that Glenn Clark Government and their unkept promises
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Post by Retrovision on Mar 12, 2006 23:50:59 GMT -8
Darn that Glenn Clark Government and their unkept promises Correction: "Darn that Glenn Clark and *his* unkept promises."  It's common knowledge among certain circles that he alone took the reigns on most large projects. If the people of B.C. voted for Glenn Clark to be Premier again, they *would* run into similar problems... If the people of B.C. voted for the NDP to lead the legislature again, they would *not* necessarily run into similar problems. If I didn't (as things stand in the world) separate leaders' policies from their parties' policies, I'd go crazy. |
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Post by Mike C on Mar 13, 2006 12:06:19 GMT -8
Here is the BC Ferries 10 year plan brochure, ready to be viewed. Here is the front half of a Pacificat, with aditional bragging about "The Plan". img376.imageshack.us/img376/4218/thebcferries10yearplanii0161yo.jpgMore of all of the above: img391.imageshack.us/img391/6648/thebcferries10yearplan0158fu.jpgSorry I couldn't post the highlights or the front or back covers, it exceeded the capacity of the image hosting website. The Highlights: BC Ferries' Ten Year Plan is a comprehensive program for expanding and enhancing the BC Ferries fleet and facilities.The plan is a part of the provincial government's provincde wide transportation strategy, which will integrate ferries, highways, transit buses, high-occupancy vehicle lanes and bicycle paths. It is also a key component of the government's jobs strategy, with major social and economic benefits. Fast Ferries: CFI is building state-of-the-art high speed aluminum catamaran ferries for the corperation's busy route 2. The capacities for the vessels are 250 cars, and 1000 passengers. They are safe, fast, and stable using water-jet propulsion to travel at 37 knots. They will reduce the crossing time by 30 minutes. They also have rapid turn-around time. Duke Point: All passenger traffic to and from Nanaimo will travel though the new Duke Point terminal set to open in June '97. This will help releive pressure at DPTB, and have all commercial traffic go through TSW. Century Class Vessels: This new class of ferry has a capacity of 100 cars and 600 passengers. These ferries would be suiteble for HSB-Bowen, Campbell-Quadra,and SWB-Fulford. Upgrading Terminals: Over the next decade or so, new berths and loading ramps will be modernized. Passenger amenities will be improved and parking area will be expanded to improve customer convinience and satisfaction, at terminals throughout the fleet. Mid-Coast Service: To ensure that the needs of central coast residents, businesses and tourists continue to be well served, stakeholder consultation is part of the planning for improved service For example, the BC Ferries intro of the Discovery Coast in '96 helped create a new business and tourism oppertunities for coastal communtities. |
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Post by Curtis on Mar 13, 2006 16:07:39 GMT -8
Nice brochure! too bad everything didn't work with that plan  |
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Post by Dane on Mar 13, 2006 16:45:22 GMT -8
The full 10 year plan is also available at SFU, UBC and Vancouver Public Library for those with time on their hands. The first 10 year plan called for several Century class. I suppose BCFS has decided to move away from that design?
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Post by Mike C on Mar 13, 2006 22:08:35 GMT -8
Nice brochure! too bad everything didn't work with that plan wink wink nudge nudge <cough>fastcats<cough> It's ironic that BCF is having their very own vessels turn against them.  WMG. |
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Post by Curtis on Mar 14, 2006 12:20:42 GMT -8
I get the feeling fast ferries aren't made for these waters they would have to produce a smaller wake to work on this coast. Plus they could make a company go bankrupt as it did for the Lynx. if they the fastcats they better have the money if it was WMG it wouldn't be a problem but if it was Harbourlynx they would be dead
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Post by Mike C on Mar 15, 2006 12:17:17 GMT -8
It wasn't the wake that was the problem... It was the lack of capacity in the passenger lounge. They got their eternal hatred from my relatives, who managed to get a ride on them. There was (apparently) no where to sit and they didn't hold enough people, so there were numerous sailing waits at either terminals. Overall, the ferries held only fifty-eight cars more then the B class. Which is a shame. And besides, they couldn't hold buses. In the end, they were a colossal failure and were gone in a month. I sure hope the same thing won't happen to the Super C's.
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Post by Ferryman on Mar 15, 2006 13:21:53 GMT -8
The wake was a huge problem.........
I've been on a Fastcat, and I know what they're like.
I guess BC Ferries initial theory to the Cats was that they wouldn't need to hold as many passengers/cars as the conventional ferries do, as they could do the run faster, and provide the same amount of sailings, with time left over in the day for any extra sailings I suppose. I don't really recall BCF ever having two cats as the primary vessels on Route 2 though. I think they had the Discovery in the Oak Bays place, and the Explorer as the supplementary for a while though.
The only thing I'm not liking about the Super C's, after seeing that animated virtual tour, is that it seems like every lounge offers some sort of food service, with more cafeteria seating, than regular lounge seating along the windows. Although I could be wrong, and the tour may not of gone all of the way around the ship on both passenger decks.
But with the Cats, the majority of the seating was cafeteria seating, or literally, Mcdonalds type seating. We were stuck in the upper cafe lounge of the Discovery, and my parents and I were huddled around this table fit for a loner for pretty much the entire village. The outer deck was small, and was like trying to walk around Wal-Mart. Above it all, the ship looked very nice inside and out, but it just wasn't fit for a busy route like Route 2. I think WMGs approach with the Cats will be successful, because BC Ferries will hold on to the big trucks, and most of the tourist traffic, leaving room for people to go on the Cats no problem.
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Post by Mike C on Mar 15, 2006 13:30:48 GMT -8
Okay I stand corrected about the wake... It sounds like it might be a good vessel for route 30, only if the lower vehicle deck was higher, though.
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Post by Starbucks Queen on Mar 20, 2006 11:22:47 GMT -8
Thanks for that, another BCF-history lesson for me.. I do actually like to keep old brochures, it´s entertaining to read them after years have passed by and the (ferry)world has changed.
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Post by hwy19man on Oct 3, 2006 13:17:41 GMT -8
Wasn't there supposed to be an interchange built at Tsawwassen to eliminate the traffic lights as you approach\leave the terminal?
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Post by BrianWilliams on Oct 3, 2006 18:34:32 GMT -8
Thanks for the scans. This is an interesting reflection on the recent past, and very valuable.
A quote from your summary- "Duke Point: All passenger traffic to and from Nanaimo will travel though the new Duke Point terminal ..."
Oh - did BCF really mean that? An advantage of Departure Bay is that it's pretty close to downtown Nanaimo. As I found in a few walk-on trips with one of our dogs, DB to downtown is an easy stroll along the waterfront.
Commercial trucks and car traffic to other Island points should use Duke Point if BCF provides the sailings, but local Nanaimo passengers are best served by Departure Bay.
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Post by Mike C on Oct 3, 2006 18:42:24 GMT -8
well, yeah, I have to agree with you on that one Brian. However, Departure Bay is more inconvenient if you're plannng to catch a ferry the same day you arrive at the terminal . There should be bus service offered by BC Transit to and from Duke Point to their hub near downtown. |
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Post by BrianWilliams on Oct 11, 2006 22:11:59 GMT -8
"Departure Bay is more inconvenient if you're plannng to catch a ferry the same day you arrive at the terminal "
Ha! I know that mid-Sunday afternoon feeling ...
Sorry for the late reply. I certainly agree that Duke Point should be served by Nanaimo's city bus system, with schedules that match arrivals and departures.
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Post by Mike C on Oct 14, 2006 18:21:10 GMT -8
Yes, well, BC Ferries, shortly after the brochure was published, changed it to "all truck traffic to and from Nanaimo will travel in and out of the new Duke Point (DKPT) terminal
I don't actually believe that DKPT can handle all that traffic (did that include Gabriola too?) if they actually did send all the traffic to DKPT.
What BC Ferries wants to do, is eleminate the big trucks from Departure Bay, and put them on a more commercial vehicle friendly route. I recall one year travelling Rte 30 (my family travels on it about twice every year) there was a Tim Hortons truck in the holding lot and they were handing out free donuts. This completley derived the people from the vending machines out onto the asphalt for no-cost food that was fresh, or more fresh then the stuff in the vending machines.
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WMG.
