Peace Country residents are invited to participate in the Grande Prairie Regional Public Transportation Study to share their perspectives on a potential regional transit network.
The study is a joint project between the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, the towns of Beaverlodge, Wembley, and the Hamlet of Hythe, and serves to explore the combination of the region’s existing transit services into a single service.
County of Grande Prairie Family and Community Support Services Director, Kathleen Turner says a single, united system will be an effective and efficient use of the County’s current transportation resources.
“Currently to get between our communities, our only option is our accessible transit, which is run by different providers, so we wanted to look at those systems, and how we can bring everybody together, coordinate a route or plans, and make it more accessible for everybody.”
Turner adds that the hope is the system will appeal to a variety of demographics. She says as growth in rural areas in the region continues, and most major services in the City, the demand for accessible transit between rural communities and the City of Grande Prairie grows as well.
“We hear that people want and would like to have this kind of a system, to be able to access education, employment, shopping, or doctor appointments,” she says. “It will be a system that incorporates the needs of many people and demographics, whether you’re a senior or a student, or a mom, a family that only has one vehicle.”
Interested individuals are asked to visit the County’s website to participate in upcoming feedback opportunities. Turner says the County hopes to have a final report done by Spring 2024.