"... Our new regional hospital and cancer centre opens August 24, and it's also important that we provide buses to the specialist services provided by Chilliwack Hospital, especially for the senior citizens who have trouble getting around," said Ferguson.
The impetus for the Abbotsford-Aldergrove service was sparked by a senior citizen from Aldergrove, Edith Griese, who collected over 6,000 names in a petition calling for the service two years ago.
This campaign led to a partnership between the TransLink and ValleyMAX to create the new service.
"It was a great ride and cheap at only $2.50," said Alberts of his trip on the #502 from Langley.
In addition to transit issues, Alberts said he would be talking with Ferguson about how the two municipalities can best resolve outstanding sewer and water servicing issues together.
Aldergrove's suburban core and Gloucester Industrial Estates connected to Abbotsford's JAMES sewer plant more than 10 years ago, but due to capacity problems Langley Township is now planning to build a new connection to Metro Vancouver's sewage treatment system.
Alberts said that "leakage" of storm water into the sewage system in Aldergrove is the cause of the capacity problems, which necessitated building a large holding tank here for excess flow during heavy rainfalls. This leakage of storm water into the sewage system is a common problem in older developed areas, including downtown Abbotsford and Vancouver City.
Alberts said the cost of building new, larger sewage pipes from Aldergrove to either the Central Fraser Valley or Metro Vancouver systems was about the same - "it's six of one and half a dozen of the other" - but long-term operating costs were considerably lower with the Metro Vancouver system...