VIA Returns to Vancouver Island

[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

This news story says that local politicians from the Courtenay
area are reluctant to commit to funding repairs to the railway,
fearing that the money will be spent on the south end of the
line and will run out before passenger service to their end
of the line is restored. <http://goo.gl/T74lwj> or
<http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/news/local/train-service-guarantee-sought-to-release-restoration-funds-1.1255226>

Here's a later report that says those politicians have been
reassured, and have voted to provide their share of funding.
<http://goo.gl/jKIWwo> or
<http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/news/local/all-aboard-comox-valley-agrees-to-sign-rail-restoration-agreement-1.1272568>

The story says "it was a condition of a $15 million contribution
for track restoration from the federal and provincial governments
that it was an 'all or nothing' project.

"If the tenders for the work did not allow for all the 225-km of
track to be restored, none of the money would be released. 'This
is an entire project,' [Island Corridor Foundation executive
director Graham Bruce] said. 'The tenders will have to come in
at or under budget - no work will commence unless we are
convinced the whole project can be completed.'"

That looks like another potential stumbling block. If the tenders
are over budget, we'll be back to square one.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


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Posted by: Tom Box <tbox-***@public.gmane.org>
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