The Q to Q Ferry is a passenger ferry in New Westminster, British Columbia. It crosses the north arm of the Fraser River to carry people between the New Westminster Quay and Queensborough, a neighbourhood of the city located on Lulu Island. It was first established in 2017 as a pilot project to provide a more efficient and pedestrian-friendly method of transportation between Queensborough and the New Westminster mainland, which at the time was only connected by the Queensborough Bridge.[1]
| Locale | New Westminster, British Columbia |
|---|---|
| Waterway | Fraser River (North Arm) |
| Transit type | Passenger ferry |
| Owner | City of New Westminster |
| Operator | Bowen Land and Sea Taxi |
| Began operation | August 2017 |
| System length | 1.1 km (0.59 nmi; 0.68 mi) |
| No. of lines | 1 |
| No. of vessels | 1 |
| No. of terminals | 2 |
Following a successful season in 2017, the City of New Westminster decided to run the ferry permanently, with the exception of some parts of winter due to weather and safety concerns.
In 2021, the City of New Westminster decided to rename the docks at each end of the ferry route the "Komagata Maru Docks", to commemorate the victims of the Komagata Maru incident.[2] This was done alongside an apology from New Westminster City Council for their predecessors' role in disallowing the Komagata Maru passengers entry into Canada in 1914.[3]
Local politicians have considered attempting to make the Q to Q Ferry a part of the larger TransLink public transit system of Metro Vancouver, but no formal plan has been made as of 2023.[4][5][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Peter Meiszner (6 August 2017). "Q to Q ferry service launched between New West and Queensborough". urbanyvr.com. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "New Westminster ferry terminals to be renamed in honour of victims of Komagata Maru incident". CBC News. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ McManus, Theresa (28 September 2021). "New Westminster apologizes for role in Komagata Maru incident". New Westminster Record. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Jim Lowrie, Director of Engineering Services (30 October 2018), Q to Q Demonstration Ferry Service Outcomes and Next Steps (PDF), City of New Westminster, retrieved 4 March 2024
- ^ Sebastian Pereira (25 November 2019). "Q to Q Ferry continues rise with eyes on deal with TransLink". medium.com. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Our Commitment to Queensborough". New West Progressives. 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2024.