Advocacy and action by Danielle Connelly leads to increased #104 service for upcoming school year.
New Westminster (August 9, 2022): New West Progressive mayoral candidate Ken Armstrong, Q.C., is applauding the efforts by incumbent NWP School Board Trustee Danielle Connelly in advocating for better transit service for New Westminster high school students, which has led to a commitment by Coast Mountain Bus Company to increase route 104 service starting with the new school year.
“The availability of transit for New Westminster Secondary School students residing in Queensborough has long been a concern,” says Armstrong. “Those of us living in Queensborough with school-aged children have asked for this to be addressed, the District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) has asked for this to be addressed, and finally Danielle has been able to gain some traction and deliver for students of New Westminster.”
Former DPAC Chair and NWP School Board Trustee candidate Kathleen Carlsen agrees, “Students and parents in New Westminster have brought this up to the DPAC repeatedly during the past four years. We have shared this with the current Board of Trustees and even wrote to Aman Singh, the MLA. It’s exciting to see that Danielle’s determined efforts are finally able to secure this improvement for New West students.”
“It is gratifying to know that the time invested in creating this relationship is paying off for New West students, particularly those living in Queensborough,” says Connelly. “This wasn’t about politics, this was about listening to students and parents and working on their behalf to help get them to school in a safe and timely manner. I know Kathleen has championed for this on behalf of DPAC and I know we can accomplish more for New West students if Teo and her are elected to the Board of Education in October.”
Starting in September 2022 an additional northbound trip for the #104 bus will be added on school days, bringing Queensborough students to 22nd Street Station for the #128 bus which will arrive at NWSS before the start of school. This increased service is only the first step in addressing the overcrowding and repeated pass-by conditions currently faced by Queensborough students and does not address the need for a direct bus from Queensborough to NWSS, which would reduce the significant commute time for Queensborough students. In October 2022, BC NDP MLA Aman Singh and Premier John Horgan promised a free bus service for Queensborough students to NWSS, which has yet to materialize. If elected, the NWP is committed to work together, Council and School Board, to find additional solutions that will bring equitable transit access to Queensborough.