To believe that the Island Corridor Foundation has now achieved a satisfactory agreement with Via Rail would be sheer folly. The evidence is overwhelmingly against this railway ever being successful again.
Yes, if we want to pour as much as, and probably more than $150 million into it, we might then have a nice little train service that few will use. To suggest this service will take pressure off the Malahat is imaginary at best. To even consider that there will be good value from an investment of this magnitude, makes no sense.
To further compromise an already bad situation we have an inexperienced board of directors that have accomplished absolutely nothing during their tenure other than to allow the railway to fall into further disrepair and accrue debt.
Almost ten years and just what success have they had? Year after year we hear promises that solutions are just a heartbeat away. The train doesn’t run anymore. Victoria decided it’s not important enough, removed the station and has excluded it from the new bridge to be built into the city.
It’s time that our politicians, the stewards of our tax dollars, make the decision to remove the current administration at ICF, install competent management and make a decision, based on the consensus of the people, as to how the corridor and accompanying assets are to be dealt with.
Jim Bergot
Qualicum Beach