Tom Matzen and his eight year-old son Tyler were so excited about the return of the Queen of Capilano that they made a plan to ride the Bowen Queen for her last sailing, and return immediately afterwards on the first sailing of the Cap. The Bowen Queen was delayed docking at Horseshoe Bay, and with another delay on the return trip, Tom and Tyler had just enough time to grab take-out for ride back to Snug Cove.
This turned out to be just one of many delays for passengers travelling between Snug Cove and Horseshoe Bay after the Queen of Capilano’s return to service last Wednesday. One of the cited reasons for the delays is the ramp parking on the boat’s new upper decks, the ones that make it possible for fifteen more cars to board during each sailing.
“A few training sessions for the deck crews prior to that first sailing would have helped,” says Adam Holbrook, chair of Bowen’s Transportation Advisory Commitee (BIMTAC). “People don’t like parking on that incline, particularly if they have a problem with their parking brake or a standard transmission. BC Ferries needs to put chalks on the cars on the incline, but the deck crews are still learning. By Monday of this week, the ferry was pretty much on schedule. By this morning (Tuesday), it seems to be running dead on-time.”
Holbrook says that another struggle with the new boat immediately upon its return was that the loading area onto the second floor to and from the Horseshoe Bay Terminal could not be used because of low tides.
“This is one of the really important upgrades on the Queen of Capilano, and it will really assist with people who are pushing strollers, or using the assistance of walkers or wheelchairs,” says Holbrook. “We’re going to suggest that BC Ferries publish the times when the tides will create a similar situation - which should only happen for one or two sailings a day, one or two days per month.”
Holbrook says that while Bowen’s Ferry Advisory Committee will be telling BC Ferries that no matter what happens in the future with the Queen of Capilano, the Bowen Queen is an inadequate replacement, there is some good that came out of the Midlife Upgrade.
“With the through-bus option, we helped to create a demand for transportation alternatives,” says Holbrook. “It is still unclear how many cars that actually took off the ferry. However, we learned that people can actually break with their typical routines and be happy with that. There is always the risk though, that with increased capacity on the Queen of Capilano... if you build it, they will come.”
For commuter and BIMTAC member Ken Simpson, this is a real concern.
“In my personal opinion, I think there should have been more public consultation on the decision to make a $12 million upgrade that allows more vehicles on board,” says Simpson. “What would it look like if we put that money into alternative transportation modes instead?”
Tom Matzen, however, does not share this concern.
“Anyone who wants to throw millions of dollars into something I use to make it better, and not ask me to pay for it is welcome to do so,” he says.
