Correspondence Re: Child Bus Passes - Carrie McLellan
Communication between a resident and the Town regarding the potential for free youth bus passes and school bus programs in School District 61.
Correspondence Regarding Child Bus Passes
From: Carrie McLellan
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2019 2:32 PM
To: Elena Bolster EBolster@viewroyal.ca; Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Cc: Justin Dick
Subject: Re: Child Bus Passes
Thank you for your reply and for addressing this issue at the meeting on July 2nd.
I have contacted SD 61 multiple times regarding this issue, but on your advice I contacted them again yesterday. They assured me we won't be seeing school buses for French Immersion students any time in the foreseeable future. The new catchment boundry changes for September 2020 have actually made this issue worse for us.
So what now? Where do we stand on the free youth bus passes? Can we expect to see them in September when the City of Victoria rolls them out? If not, how are we expected to get our children to their catchment schools without using single family vehicles (which would be a disaster for our current traffic and climate crisises)? Are 4-14 year olds really expected to commute 10-14 km round trip by foot or bike all winter long?
I look forward to hearing your responses.
Thank you, Carrie
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From: Elena Bolster EBolster@viewroyal.ca
Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2019 9:36:41 AM
To: Carrie McLellan
Subject: RE: Child Bus Passes
Dear Ms. McLellan:
Thank you for your email dated June 14, 2019 regarding bus passes for youth. As you are aware, your email was placed on the July 2, 2019 Council meeting agenda for discussion and consideration.
At this meeting, the Council considered the information as outlined in your correspondence and passed a motion to receive your email. Council encourages you to contact the Greater Victoria School District No. 61 regarding school bus programs, information on this program can be found at https://www.sd61.bc.ca/our-district/departments-services/facilities-department/student-transportation/.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact this office.
Sincerely,
Elena Bolster
Deputy Corporate Officer
Town of View Royal | 45 View Royal Avenue | Victoria, BC V9B 1A6
d: 250.940.5244 | p: 250.479.6800 | f: 250.727.9551
From: Carrie McLellan
Sent: Friday, June 14, 2019 7:32 AM
To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Child Bus Passes
Hi Mayor and Council,
Victoria children will be getting free bus passes this fall and I am wondering if there will be a similar initiative for View Royal at this time? What I would like to see more than free bus passes is a school bus program! Why is it Sooke, Saanich and most other communities on Vancouver Island have school bus programs but not School District 61.
We live in a very spread out community that requires driving for many to get their kids to their catchment schools. Wouldn't it be lovely if some of these children could take the city bus or school bus and not pay up to $5 a day? I believe it would be a step in the right direction for our traffic and climate crisis.
As a family that long distance cycle commutes 250 plus days a year, it would be nice to have the option for the kiddos to take the bus Dec-Feb, rather than be another single family car on the road. For one parent to take 2 kids to school via city bus it could cost up to $15 a day.
Thank you,
Carrie Mclellan
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