Raising the curtain on October 2011 arts centre designs The 3 Garden City Scary fun at Pumpkinville 4 CurrA publication from the Cityent of St. Catharines A bright idea for downtown Downtown St. Catharines is being cast in a new light. A new, white energy-efficient light to be exact. This summer, the city began installing light emitting diode (LED) lights in its decorative lampposts lining St. Paul, Queen, James and Academy streets, making downtown more inviting for foot traffic while doing good by Mother Earth and the city’s budget. The lights replace the dingier metal halide bulbs that gave off a less becoming orange glow better suited to helping drivers pass through the city centre. “Orange light provides good target light for safety but from an aesthetics perspective, white light is better,” said Kris Jacobson, manager of transportation services. “White light allows one to see contrasts and colours. It’s clearer and crisper and mimics sunlight better than orange light does.” It’s also been on the wish lists of downtown businesses. The city began testing LED lights downtown last year, trying out three different models on streetlamps along James Street near City Hall with the hope of finding the perfect candidate to throw just the right light and save the city money. But, Jacobson said, as he was waiting on re- sults of the study, LED technology advanced, Inter-municipal transit launched last month, connecting St. Catharines to Niagara Falls, Welland, Fort Erie and Port Colborne. For $5, people can ride the bus to where they need to leaving high pressure sodium lights, metal go and have transfers to municipal transit routes included. halides and even LEDs of a year ago in its shadows. It’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between the LED’s earth-friendly glow and its conventional counterparts now. City gets onboard regional transit “While we were doing tests, the industry St. Catharines residents needing to get to Some have argued bus routes connect- council with enough information to decide leapt over us,” Jacobson said. “It’s almost Welland or Niagara Falls no longer have ing as many municipalities as possible whether to continue the service. a forgone conclusion. If you’re going to do to spin their wheels in search of a ride. have been missing in Niagara’s economic “Three years is a suitable time for us to retrofitting, to use LED lights.” Niagara Region Transit, an inter-munic- puzzle, enabling residents to commute get a feel for the market and for residents The new LEDs are also more competitively ipal transit service, launched last month, to work outside their home municipalities to become aware of us and determine if priced, making it even easier to flip the switch providing residents and visitors with a and being the key to secure year-round they’re going to use it or not,” Sherlock on energy efficient lighting. car-free way to get around the region. It’s GO train service for the region. said. Replacing the lamps in the 160 decorative a three-year long road test to see if public So far, riders on the gleaming new buses Niagara Region Transit runs Monday to posts downtown would have cost $160,000 if transit beyond the borders of individual have been sparse but Sherlock said it’s Saturday with routes to Welland via Hwy. the city opted for the energy-sucking metal municipalities’ bus routes has legs. too early to conclude whether the service 406 running every 40 minutes and routes halide version. The LED lights are $210,000. Niagara Region Transit has routes to ma- will be a success. to Niagara Falls via Thorold Stone Road Though there is still a price difference, Ja- jor destinations in St. Catharines, Niagara Trying inter-municipal transit for three For more information, including routes cobson said the energy savings provided by Falls and Welland and riders can also hop years allows for adjustments to schedul- and schedules, visit www.niagararegion. LEDs – they use about half as much energy on and off in Thorold, Port Colborne and ing and routes and will provide Regional ca as metal halides – and their 20-year life ex- Fort Erie. For $5, travellers can get from pectancy mean the new fixtures will pay for Point A to a far-flung Point B, transfers ARTICULATING BETTER BUS SERVICE themselves in six to eight years. for rides on local municipal transit buses In that same time, a metal halide bulb would included. The wheels are going ‘round on some full buses travelling through need to be changed twice. After six months, fares will rise to $6 but some much larger buses that have south St. Catharines. “It’s a no brainer,” Jacobson said. “We multi-ride discount ticket packages will be been added to the St. Catharines “Most trips, certainly in the morn- should be going with LEDs.” available. Children under 5 ride free. Transit fleet. ing, they’re full. Most trips, they have “We’ll do our best and hopefully, people Three articulated buses – long buses a good load on them. Most morn- will use it,” said Dave Sherlock, general that look like they have an accordion ings, it’s standing room only,” Sher- manager for St. Catharines Transit, one of in the centre, allowing buses to bend lock said. “It has certainly helped on three municipal transit systems participat- when rounding corners – hit the road Route 16. If we didn’t have these, the ing in the pilot. in September to shuttle riders on overcrowding would have been much “On the other hand, if very few people the busy Route 16 and Brock Bullets worse than we’ve ever seen.” use it, it’s very easy to dismantle. (St. between the downtown and Brock The buses were purchased used Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls’ University. from OC Transpo in Ottawa. St. Catha- transit systems) would go back to doing Adding the “artics” as Dave Sherlock, rines Transit drivers took their longer our own thing again and we’ve got more St. Catharines Transit general man- sets of wheels out for practice spins than enough traffic in our municipalities to ager, calls them, means fewer 40-foot in August, readying for the September keep busy.” buses on the road at peak times. launch. The pilot and its eight accessible buses For car drivers, that’s less traf- Some riders may also need a crash were paid for by a $3.7-million grant to fic congestion to contend with. For course in using the new buses, par- the St. Catharines Transit Commission, transit users, it means getting where ticularly when it comes to getting off Niagara Falls Transit and Welland Transit. they need to be when they need to be the bus. The Region will provide about $2.7 million there. The back doors don’t open automati- in annual operating costs. The accessible, extended buses have cally. Instead riders wait for the green Inter-municipal transit has long been room for 60 people seated compared light and push them open. to 39 people in a regular bus. With For more information about bus Kris Jacobson, the city’s manager of transportation ser- lobbied for by many on Regional council despite differences in opinion in how it standing room, articulated buses can routes and scheduling, visit www. vices, with some of the lampposts downtown that have carry 100 riders. And there have been yourbus.com. been fitted with LED lights. should be rolled out. Making City Hall a model for accessible buildings in St. Catharines City Hall is a building becoming “It’s not just about accessibility,” are also wider. the Facility Accessibility Design “City Hall is somewhere we can even easier for people to use. said Diana Lecinski, accessibility This puts the count of washrooms Standards (FADS), a technical lead by example in the commu- The hub of civic activity has co-ordinator. “It’s for everyone.” at City Hall transformed to be design document used by the city nity,” Birchnall said. “Businesses recently undergone renovations, The biggest changes can be seen “good and functional” to five, said to enhance accessibility beyond or restaurants may hear from their with makeovers to washrooms and in the first floor washrooms, which Doug Birchnall, project supervisor. the minimal requirements of the customers that they can’t use the plans to revamp the clerk’s depart- now have contrasting colours on The counters in the clerk’s office Ontario Building Code. bathroom. It may be up to code but ment on the third floor. walls, floors and counters to help will be lowered, making them “Tangible changes have been it’s not functional. The changes, which include people with visual disabilities. easier to use for people who use a taking place since 2008 when we “It was (the accessibility commit- new counters to be installed in Handles on stall doors are deep- wheelchair or need to sit when fill- did an audit using FADS as a tem- tee’s) idea to use City Hall as the the clerk’s office and major layout er, making them easier to use for ing out documents or forms. Clerk’s plate,” Birchnall said. focus and say to the community, changes to the first-floor wash- those with low dexterity, strength or is the last department in the build- In addition to making City Hall ‘If we can do it in a building from rooms are being done to make reach to grasp. Entrance doors to ing to undergo the changes. easier for everyone to use, the 1937 … so many businesses say those areas more accessible.