After protests in February against terminal development on Denman Island, BC Ferries will host public engagement sessions again this week.
They will take place on Friday at the Denman Island Community Hall from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday at the Hornby Island Community Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
BC Ferries says the engagement sessions will focus on addressing two topics:
- Mitigating the impacts of the Denman East terminal development project, to reduce congestion on the roadway, make it safer for walk-on passengers and vehicles
- Evaluating the success of the enhanced summer schedules that will be in place on the routes between Buckley Bay and Denman and Denman and Hornby Islands
The ferry line says they have taken a lot of time to make sure that the public knows about the engagement sessions, and hearing from the public is crucial.
“We want, and need, to hear a broad range of voices and perspectives on not just the terminal development project but on the new summer schedule as well,” said Public Affairs executive director, Deborah Marshall.
“As the topic of the Baynes Sound Connector’s future is important to the community, we’ve released our four-page review in full and will be happy to discuss its findings as part of the engagement opportunities.”
BC Ferries adds they will be expanding service this summer between Buckley Bay and Denman by using two vessels, while the boat from Denman to Hornby will be replaced by a larger boat with more vehicle space.
To learn more about the engagement sessions, and to send questions in ahead of time, you can visit their website.
The engagement sessions come after protests against tree removal for the terminal upgrades earlier this year.