TransLink will hold open house on proposed gondola up Burnaby Mountain

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      This week, TransLink will hold an open house for the community to discuss the feasibility of building a gondola to carry transit passengers up Burnaby Mountain.

      It could result in the elimination of buses going up the hill to Simon Fraser University's main campus.

      The meeting will take place on Wednesday (May 25) from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cameron elementary school (9540 Erickson Drive, Burnaby).

      A new cable car would resemble the Peak 2 Peak Gondola at Whistler. It would run from the Production Way–University SkyTrain station to the top of the mountain.

      By this summer, TransLink expects to complete a planning study and a business case on the Burnaby Mountain Gondola Transit Project.

      A preconsultation phase was completed in November, which involved six small meetings of stakeholders, including students, residents, environmentalists, and residents.

      The second phase begins this month, and includes more small group meetings and two open houses.

      Comments

      17 Comments

      david24

      May 23, 2011 at 10:56pm

      A funicular looks like an interesting idea, but with a capacity of 720-900 passengers per hour is woefully inadequate for the job. Zweisystem has a ton of good real world experiences behind him when he talks about LRT, but in this case he's comparing apples to pineapples.

      8 9Rating: -1

      Justin

      May 23, 2011 at 10:59pm

      I would feel awkward climbing in a gondola without my ski gear, but I love it. Possibly the best idea translink has ever had.
      Knowing the relative technology, the only downside I can see would be the high winds/lightning scenario (however rare) when I would hope they would have buses on call to accommodated.

      12 7Rating: +5

      Evil Eye

      May 24, 2011 at 6:46am

      In Seattle, Sound Transit puts chains on buses on hilly routes, now here is a question.

      "Does TransLink chain the buses going to SFU when it snows?"

      If not, then could a $1000.00 solution by using chains, be used instead of a $70 million aerial cable car to service SFU?

      Just asking.

      And here is another question that TransLink has yet to answer, will the aerial tramway be shut down in windstorms? In Europe 40 kph to 50 kph winds shut down most aerial cable cars.

      Will we spend $70 million on a transit solution that isn't really a transit solution at all?

      Just asking

      9 7Rating: +2

      Steve Y

      May 24, 2011 at 7:11am

      If it would save money its a good idea, but somehow I imagine Translink will find some way to hire a bunch of people and pay them $50 an hour to run this thing where a skihill pays $10...

      7 9Rating: -2

      LostMyGlasses

      May 24, 2011 at 9:25am

      Terrible idea based more on a publicity stunt and tourist attraction than moving people and over 20,000 students up an down the hill safely. Shouldn't be surprised, however, since in the past decade UBC and SFU have been more interested in building wealthy communities than educating students.

      The current model for Translink needs to be scrapped and an independent authority to review Transit proposals needs to be developed. Between this and the Cambie street fiasco, Translink is getting way out of hand.

      10 9Rating: +1

      Forest Grove Resident

      May 24, 2011 at 12:04pm

      Translink promised to post more information on the proposed route online today (May 24) to allow residents under the proposed gondola time to review the plan before the public consultation tomorrow. They haven't posted anything. This is beginning to look more like "managing communications" rather than real communication.

      8 10Rating: -2

      SFU student

      May 24, 2011 at 2:54pm

      make no mistake that this has nothing to do with making the campus more accessible for the students who spend their hard earned dollars on sky high tuitions. The plan is for this contraption to coincide with transit service which will likely result in the reduction of bus service and longer wait times to get up the hill. The gondola will also go only one way.

      The students who are being consulted on this have no clue as to the implication this kind of technology have and are simple happy to pad their resumes with such nonsense.

      Mark my words, if the SFU student governments have any balls they will adovacte to be invovled inthe design and implmenetation of the gondola to make it a student centered technology. If not I forsee, this ridiculous idea being turned into exclusive passes for university admin and univercity inhabitants who simply want to increase the value and prestige of this hollowed out institution that was once a radical campus.

      12 8Rating: +4

      Tax and Spend

      May 24, 2011 at 3:47pm

      Let's see some real word numbers on the total cost to run this amusement ride first. How much will they save compared to current bus system?

      13 7Rating: +6

      R U Kiddingme

      May 24, 2011 at 11:10pm

      That's awesome, what a unique way to get to school. I think it would be a major perk of going to SFU. Also a distinctive, image-establishing feature for Burnaby which is generally pretty quaint suburbia. Why not go for it?

      11 9Rating: +2