The Township of Clearview has launched a survey to gather input from Stayner area residents on a proposed transit system.
The first phase of the transit plan will only service the Stayner area with connections to Wasaga Beach.
In this year’s budget, council approved $82,500 for a six-month bus service, which would be offset by an estimated $12,375 in ticket revenue.
“Over the past two-and-a-half years staff have been meeting with Simcoe County, Wasaga Beach and the Town of Collingwood staff to discuss possible options to provide transit service to Clearview Township,” reported CAO Steve Sage in September. “The majority of the advice received from the system operators is that a trial period will be a waste of time. Those municipalities that have completed a trial period, determined that the results indicated very little interest. However, when the permanent system was installed, ridership was beyond the trial period numbers.”
“Clearview staff were prepared to bring a report forward in 2014, a decision was made not to move forward at that time,” he said.
Through the survey, the township hopes to gauge general interest and acceptance, usage, route preferences, availability, cost and level of service.
One accessible bus would stop at the Real Canadian Superstore in Wasaga Beach, allowing riders to connect to the Wasaga Beach and Collingwood transit links, and at the roundabout parking lot at Highway 26 and Airport Road.
Hardcopies of the survey are available at town hall, the Stayner branch of the library and the Stayner arena. People living elsewhere in the township can access the survey online. For those who indicate they do not support the transit system, the survey is five questions. Those who answer that they do support the initiative can proceed and answer more specific questions.
The survey closes April 15. A report will come back to council once the data is compiled.