SFU/Burnaby Mtn Gondola | Proposed - Page 15

Zassk · #**281** Posted **Feb 16, 2011, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Why would you want to do that?

I was thinking more about weather issues and reclaiming space at the top of the mountain.

BCPhil · #**282** Posted **Feb 16, 2011, 9:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zassk

I was thinking more about weather issues and reclaiming space at the top of the mountain.

I see what you mean, but it's hard to justify spending several million on parking near a skytrain station for the 3 days a year it would be needed because of weather. On those lousy days, people can just take transit the whole way or park at another park and ride facility.

EDIT:
In addition (I don't know if they do this, but they should if they don't), SFU could advise students of weather conditions on the hill. In the future they could send out text messages or tweets advising students to leave the car at home and take Transit and the Gondola because the road is in poor condition.

Mac Write · #**283** Posted **Feb 16, 2011, 9:54 PM**

When was the last time the Red or Blue gondola's on Grouse Mountain where replaced (actually when were they last replaced?) Also the Whistler Gondola (white) has been around for over 22 years now and doesn't seem to be needing replacement, nor the blackcomb gondola.

Zassk · #**284** Posted **Feb 16, 2011, 10:17 PM**

Per wikipedia, the old Blue Tram opened in 1966, and the Red SkyRide in 1976.

Millennium2002 · #**285** Posted **Feb 16, 2011, 11:22 PM**

Doesn't lifespan depend on the stress that the system endures and the maintenance that it receives?

I'm a little concerned about TransLink maintaining the thing on its own... as I see buses being driven around with packaging and duct tape on the roofs and such.

mr.x · #**286** Posted **Feb 17, 2011, 12:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

Doesn't lifespan depend on the stress that the system endures and the maintenance that it receives?

I'm a little concerned about TransLink maintaining the thing on its own... as I see buses being driven around with packaging and duct tape on the roofs and such.

I think the plan is to have a contractor build and operate it for awhile......

With regards to the views from the gondola, although this clearly does have a huge transport benefit, it would be nice for a change to see the city build an actual attraction rather than continue to overly exploit its natural environment...facepalming @ "another way to see Vancouver!" Really? It's getting old...

Xrayal · #**287** Posted **May 5, 2011, 5:06 AM**

Article From CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...e.html?ref=rss

Calgary Transit is looking at the possibility of building a gondola to ferry commuters from a northwest LRT station to other nearby high-demand areas not directly served by the C-Train.

The gondola, similar to those used at ski resorts, could have several stops, covering three to five kilometres in a horseshoe shape, said Neil McKendrick Calgary's manager of transit planning.

"We're looking at moving people from an LRT station to a high activity centre that's not currently on an LRT line. And that would be something like the Foothills hospital, Alberta Children's Hospital or the University of Calgary," he said.

McKendrick said since there's no room in that area for a special transit lane, adding more buses is not a better solution.

"There's only so many buses you can pump through those areas without them being stuck in their own traffic jam," he said.

Urban cable-propelled transit systems are already in use in many cities around the globe, including Portland, New York City, Medellin, Colombia, and Lisbon, Portugal.

"There's a variety of benefits," said Steven Dale, a Toronto-based expert on the transit systems.

"One is the cost. On a sort of apples to apples comparison, you're generally looking a price point of about one quarter to half the price of light rail," he said, adding that gondolas are quick to build and generally very safe.

McKendrick said the city believes it could build the northwest gondola system for about $5 to 10 million per kilometre.

The cars would hold six to 10 people and come by every 10 seconds or so.

The city hopes to begin a study this fall to see if a gondola is feasible.

splashflash · #**288** Posted **May 7, 2011, 4:08 PM**

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...k-gondola.html

The more this comes up, the more I think that the Evergreen Line should become the Evergreen gondola, linking Coquitlam and Pt. Moody stations via SFU to Production (or Lakewood) station.

And how about Surrey? Might gondolas not serve well if aligned with hydro corridors, perhaps serving selected centres?

hollywoodnorth · #**289** Posted **May 7, 2011, 5:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by splashflash

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...k-gondola.html

The more this comes up, the more I think that the Evergreen Line should become the Evergreen gondola, linking Coquitlam and Pt. Moody stations via SFU to Production (or Lakewood) station.

And how about Surrey? Might gondolas not serve well if aligned with hydro corridors, perhaps serving selected centres?

what a jack ass that guy in the story is >>

The proposed routes go directly over homes in the Pine Ridge Housing Co-op and owner Glen Porter says he and other residents have a lot of questions about what that means for them.

"I think the frequency is something like one every 19 seconds," he said.

"We wonder what people will be able to see when they look out and look down. And owners are worried about property values, for sure," said Porter.

hey jack-ass its a CO-OP ....... your not a real owner .... your property value is not going up. ITS A CO-OP .......... move if you don't like it ......

vanman · #**290** Posted **May 7, 2011, 8:38 PM**

^ As a former co op member all I have to say is Ahahahha. Why in hell would a co-op member care if the property value went down? It would actually be in the co op's best interest as it would translate into lower property taxes meaning lower operating costs and ultimately lower rents. Ahh, nimbys and their logical arguments....

hollywoodnorth · #**291** Posted **May 8, 2011, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanman

^ as a former co op member all i have to say is ahahahha. Why in hell would a co-op member care if the property value went down? It would actually be in the co op's best interest as it would translate into lower property taxes meaning lower operating costs and ultimately lower rents. Ahh, nimbys and their logical arguments....

hear hear!

twoNeurons · #**292** Posted **May 10, 2011, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanman

^ As a former co op member all I have to say is Ahahahha. Why in hell would a co-op member care if the property value went down? It would actually be in the co op's best interest as it would translate into lower property taxes meaning lower operating costs and ultimately lower rents. Ahh, nimbys and their logical arguments....

Although the complaint is weak, technically Co-Op members are joint owners. The major difference, however, is that they're not investors. They can't sell the unit. It's similar to being in a strata except that instead of condo fees, property tax and mortgage interest, you pay a housing charge and committees handle it.

Buying is financially advantageous over the long, though. Not turning this into a buying vs. belonging thread, but this is just to illustrate that Co-Ops tend to attract social-activists, as the core principles of how a co-op work are similar to how communism/socialism works... except that because of it's small scale, it actually works.

That's why it can be more difficult to get things built around Co-Ops. They tend to be close-knit communities that work together, know each other, and usually have a lot of families.

In this case, however, I would think that a gondola is not universally hated by all members.

amor de cosmos · #**293** Posted **May 11, 2011, 1:36 AM**

buzzer pages with dates, etc
http://buzzer.translink.ca/index.php...ola-phase-two/
http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-o...n-Gondola.aspx

Millennium2002 · #**294** Posted **May 11, 2011, 8:01 AM**

Noticed that too. Trying to gather some support somewhere. Having said that it's a really slow process to do so.

vanman · #**295** Posted **May 12, 2011, 9:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

That's why it can be more difficult to get things built around Co-Ops. They tend to be close-knit communities that work together, know each other, and usually have a lot of families.

You would think since they are socially progressive they would be more open to thinking outside of the box. Especially considering the fact that their own children would eventually be negatively affected by their actions.

twoNeurons · #**296** Posted **May 13, 2011, 2:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanman

You would think since they are socially progressive they would be more open to thinking outside of the box. Especially considering the fact that their own children would eventually be negatively affected by their actions.

You would think, yes... which is why I wouldn't be surprised if this guy and few others are the exception rather than the norm.

amor de cosmos · #**297** Posted **May 25, 2011, 9:06 PM**

Quote:

Jeff Busby, manager of project planning, explains the Burnaby Mountain Gondola

TransLink’s study into a possible gondola up Burnaby Mountain has prompted a lot of conversation and questions about the idea since the blog post a couple of weeks ago. Local bloggers like Miss 604 have also been weighing in on the idea.

Gondolas can instill a lot of passion for and against their implementation, so I thought in preparation for our open houses and consultation on this project, I’d sit down with Jeff Busby, Manager of Infrastructure Planning at TransLink, and asked him some of the questions that are being discussed online.

Here’s a good chunk of the conversation I had with Jeff. There’s a lot to talk about, so I thought I’d post most of it since the subject matter is so rich.

http://buzzer.translink.ca/index.php...ntain-gondola/

Millennium2002 · #**298** Posted **May 25, 2011, 9:52 PM**

BTW they have posted up the consultation documents online...

Burnaby Gondola Transit Project Info Boards PDF

So far so good. TransLink rates the gondola as doing better all respects other than financial and community impact (well that's a no-brainer really...).

tybuilding · #**299** Posted **May 25, 2011, 10:04 PM**

A Gondola would be awesome for mountain bike enthusiasts like myself. I went to Burnaby Mountain a nice evening for a ride a while ago and there were lots of mountain bikers like myself wanting a ride up the mountain on the bus. Since the bus only can hold 2 on the rack there was a multi bus wait. Thankfully we had a really great driver that let a few of us in the bus (as it was mostly empty of passengers and there are not additional stops from the bottom on Gaglardi Way & Broadway to the top. A gondola would hugely increase the capacity for carrying bikes up the mountain. People would no longer have to do use 2 vehicles to shuttle their bikes up the mountain.

(cycling uphill with heavy, springy downhill bikes is very difficult thus requiring the shuttle ride)

Mac Write · #**300** Posted **May 26, 2011, 1:35 AM**

Good question, how will bikes be accommodated on the gondola? Also how will seating be handled as well as wheelchair access. This is all during lineups of course (Thinking of video of Peak 2 Peak and how crowded the loading bay was). A wheelchair would need to enter, turnaround while others are boarding. I know we aren't this fall along in design (or maybe we are), but these are good questions to ask. True Skytrain has short dwell times and is more open inside, but the gondola cabin is smaller and we don't know how the internal layout will be done.