Despite having no concrete plan for public transit, the Town of Black Diamond is moving ahead with a park and ride lot.
Black Diamond town council approved administration’s request at its March 4 meeting to transfer $170,132 from its reserve account to the capital budget to allow for the tendering of contracts to construct a park and ride lot west of Fas Gas off Highway 22 this year.
Chief administrative officer Sharlene Brown said the asphalt parking lot will include space for 28 passenger vehicles, three RVs, two tour buses and six motorcycles. It will also contain a public washroom with a bus shelter, electrical charging stations, adequate lighting and storm-water drainage.
“We’ve tried to think of everything absolutely possible to make this project a park and ride facility that may be adaptable for other uses,” said Brown.
The GreenTRIP (Transit Incentives Program) fund the Town received will cover $279,869 of the $450,000 cost. The Town will pay the $170,131 balance.
Brown said the Town has been putting money into reserves for the project for three years.
Coun. Brian Marconi, who didn’t approve the motion, told the Western Wheel following the council meeting that he doesn’t agree with using the grant money for a parking lot when the Town has no public transit.
“I understand why they’re using the funds, I just don’t like what they’re doing with it because it has nothing to do with transit,” he said. “It’s not a good way of spending grant money, in my eyes.”
Marconi said when the Town applied for the grant it anticipated using the money for a park and ride lot, but since receiving grant approval transit discussions have centred around an on-demand system.
“Why do you need a park and ride?” he said. “It has nothing to do with transit in the long run. It’s using transit funds to build a parking lot for a recreational area. It’s like pulling the wool over the Province’s eyes.”
Marconi said the parking lot will provide access to a proposed five-acre day use area with pathways, picnic tables, fire pits and river access.
He said the Town purchased the land from the homeowner of 606 Centre Avenue who experienced flooding on the property and was unable to sell it. The Town had received grant money through the flood mitigation program to purchase the property, he said.
Mayor Ruth Goodwin said the money is being used for transportation as was intended.
“We can only use it for what it’s been deemed to be used for,” she said. “Regardless of whether or not Brian feels it has nothing to do with buses, it’s still transportation.”
Black Diamond town council agreed in January to seek potential partners to proceed with public transit after Turner Valley council decided to discontinue talks on the subject.
The two towns had partnered in a community transportation strategy to explore opportunities to improve transportation with and between the two towns and nearby communities after On-it Transportation, which briefly provided commuter service between Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Okotoks and Calgary, discontinued service in the two towns in 2018 due to low ridership.
