HRM Release:
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Friday, August 20, 2010 – Haligonians are
benefiting from improved public transit thanks to the completion of the
Ragged Lake Transit Centre. This new sustainable facility built to LEED
Silver standards, will help accommodate the additional maintenance,
storage, and operational needs to allow for expansion in Halifax
Regional Municipality’s Metro Transit service.
Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margaret's,
and Mat Whynott, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Hammonds
Plains-Upper Sackville, on behalf of the Honourable Ramona Jennex,
Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, along with his
worship, Peter Kelly, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM),
and representatives from the Canadian Urban Transit Association and
Metro Transit, gathered today to celebrate the official grand opening of
the Ragged Lake Transit Centre.
“Improved public transit is an important factor in enhancing the
quality of life for Haligonians and visitors to the city,” said MP
Keddy on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Canada’s Minister of
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities “With the completion of this
new facility, Metro Transit will be able to provide more efficient
service and increase the number of transit users on city buses.”
MLA Mat Whynott, on behalf of Minister Jennex, said “This new
facility is allowing the expansion of transit services within the
Halifax Regional municipality. Our government supports improved access
to public transit as a way to make life better for families in every
region.”
Mayor Peter Kelly said the state-of-the-art facility marks the
beginning of a new era for transit service in the region. “Starting
immediately, we can begin providing more accessible routes, improved
connections and expanded services to the residents of our community,”
he said.
The Mayor noted Regional Council has approved the purchase of 45 new
60-foot articulated buses and that, with the opening of the Ragged Lake
Centre, the first of those passenger-efficient vehicles will be going on
the road shortly.
The new Ragged Lake Transit Centre will complement the existing Metro
Transit facility and a smaller garage, both located in Burnside
Industrial Park, Dartmouth, which have currently reached capacity with
over 280 buses.
The completion of the new Centre will allow for the operation of an
additional 150 buses, with space ultimately for another 50 transit
vehicles. The new Transit Centre will also help to cut down on
operational costs, which presently must be incurred by running
out-of-service buses back and forth across the harbour bridges. This
will help lessen the amount of commuter traffic and result in fewer
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The completed 180,000 square-foot complex on a 16-acre site features
two buildings: one 122,000 square-foot Operations Centre and one 58,000
square foot Service Centre for bus maintenance. The total cost for this
project was $28 million with a contribution of $16.6 million from the
federal 2006 Public Transit Capital Trust.
