Ottawa intercity bus terminal relocation - Page 8

TransitZilla · #**141** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 5:34 PM**

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/greyhound-...tion-1.5128487

Quote:

Greyhound Canada driving operations out of Catherine Street bus station
Josh Pringle
Digital Multi-Skilled Journalist
@PringleJosh Contact

Published Thursday, October 1, 2020 1:06PM EDT

OTTAWA -- Greyhound Canada is driving its operations out of Ottawa's main bus station on Catherine Street.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Greyhound Canada says it will no longer operate from the Ottawa Central Station when bus service resumes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company is now looking for a future location to meet the needs of customers in the capital.

"Ottawa will continue to be a vital part of our network," said Greyhound.
"As we work through the impact of the pandemic on our business, we will communicate well in advance of our new location prior to a start-up date."

In May, Greyhound Canada announced the temporary suspension of all of its bus routes in Canada due to dropping revenue and ridership amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The shutdown covered all routes through Ontario, and the Ottawa to Montreal route.

"While we are eager to begin service again in Canada, we are using this time to ensure our future Ottawa location will meet the needs of both our customers and our business," said Greyhound Canada in a statement.

OTSkyline · #**142** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 6:16 PM**

Hmm wasn't aware they had stopped service during COVID. Even today they dont operate? That seems weird to me... One would think the majority of costs here are fixed (busses), the gas and driver should be covered pretty easily.
I mean city buses, trains, planes are all operating, not sure why they couldn't.

With that being said, this seems like a very abrupt change, but one that many on this forum were hoping for. Let's here all of your suggestions for the new spot!

Here are some of mine:
Tremblay
Lees
Lebreton
Bayview
City Centre

To me, these are all areas with space to support, central, access to LRT/Highway/Buses, etc...

TransitZilla · #**143** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Hmm wasn't aware they had stopped service during COVID. Even today they dont operate? That seems weird to me... One would think the majority of costs here are fixed (busses), the gas and driver should be covered pretty easily.
I mean city buses, trains, planes are all operating, not sure why they couldn't.

With that being said, this seems like a very abrupt change, but one that many on this forum were hoping for. Let's here all of your suggestions for the new spot!

Here are some of mine:
Tremblay
Lees
Lebreton
Bayview
City Centre

To me, these are all areas with space to support, central, access to LRT/Highway/Buses, etc...

VIA/Tremblay is probably the best for integration with VIA service, but I think Hurdman would be a good option too. The new Hurdman has public road access to a pick-up/drop-off area that Greyhound could use. OC might even be able to charge rent.

phil235 · #**144** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Hmm wasn't aware they had stopped service during COVID. Even today they dont operate? That seems weird to me... One would think the majority of costs here are fixed (busses), the gas and driver should be covered pretty easily.
I mean city buses, trains, planes are all operating, not sure why they couldn't.

With that being said, this seems like a very abrupt change, but one that many on this forum were hoping for. Let's here all of your suggestions for the new spot!

Here are some of mine:
Tremblay
Lees
Lebreton
Bayview
City Centre

To me, these are all areas with space to support, central, access to LRT/Highway/Buses, etc...

The site would have to have easy access to the highway in both directions, so I think Bayview and City Centre are unlikely. Lees would be interesting, as it allows for integration with the university. Not sure if there is space there though.

J.OT13 · #**145** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 6:46 PM**

My vote would be for Tremblay. Simplify inter-city travel by having everything in one place.

acottawa · #**146** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 6:59 PM**

St Laurent

They have a massive bus platform that is now lightly used. Direct access to LRT, free parking, food court.

phil235 · #**147** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 7:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acottawa

St Laurent

They have a massive bus platform that is now lightly used. Direct access to LRT, free parking, food court.

I think you're likely right about this. Greyhound will probably be looking for something that is ready to move into, and St. Laurent is the only one that fits the bill.

J.OT13 · #**148** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 7:42 PM**

Anyplace is better than the current location. I'm surprised this didn't happen decades ago.

What's left on Catherine? Is it likely it will completely close down now that its main tenant has vacated? Will we be the only city in Canada without a formal inter-city bus terminal?

phil235 · #**149** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 7:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Anyplace is better than the current location. I'm surprised this didn't happen decades ago.

What's left on Catherine? Is it likely it will completely close down now that its main tenant has vacated? Will we be the only city in Canada without a formal inter-city bus terminal?

Depends on the size. I don't think Quebec City or Winnipeg has a real intercity bus terminal, and lots of mid-sized cities don't have them. Vancouver just has the train station I think.

Catherine has long been slated for redevelopment, so it would be nice to see that block become something more integrated into the city around it.

YOWflier · #**150** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 8:02 PM**

St. Laurent also has better 417 access than Catherine.

CityTech · #**151** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 9:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ac888yow

St. Laurent also has better 417 access than Catherine.

No access from the eastern 417 (St Laurent being a partial interchange) and I don't think buses are allowed to use the Aviation Parkway either. Buses from Montreal would have to get off at Riverside or Innes and drive on city streets to get to St Laurent.

rocketphish · #**152** Posted **Oct 1, 2020, 10:07 PM**

Greyhound announces permanent departure from downtown Ottawa terminal

Bruce Deachman, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Oct 01, 2020 • Last Updated 1 hour ago • 1 minute read

Greyhound buses will no longer service the Catherine Street station once the company resumes operations in Ottawa.

The Dallas-based company, which ceased its Canadian operations four months ago because of the downturn in the industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed its intentions in an email Thursday.

“While Greyhound will no longer operate from Ottawa Central Station, Ottawa will continue to be a vital part of our network,” said spokesperson Crystal Booker. “As we work through the impact of the pandemic on our business, we will communicate well in advance our new location prior to a start-up date.”

A 95 per cent drop in ridership forced the company to halt its Canadian operations in May, affecting about 400 employees. Two years earlier, the company pared back most of its service to Western Canada, again citing low ridership.

“While we are eager to begin service again in Canada,” Booker added Thursday, “we are using this time to ensure our future Ottawa location will continue to meet the needs of both our customers and our business.”

The owner of the Catherine Street property where the bus station is situated had indicated in 2011 that he was prepared to build a “village” of high-rise condominiums, townhouses, offices and stores if Greyhound ever left.

Vancouver real estate entrepreneur Stewart Robertson had applied to the City of Ottawa to rezone the property from transportation use to general mixed-use.

He submitted a proposal that featured 458 residential units in buildings ranging from nine to 23 storeys, as well as a row of stacked townhouses along Arlington Street, 446 underground parking spaces, and commercial and office uses.

“I’ve got a multimillion-dollar property that takes an entire city block,” Robertson said at the time. “It’s simply good business and good planning to have a contingency plan. If and only if Greyhound does leave, then here’s the plan.”

Robertson could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

— With files from Maria Cook

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...ttawa-terminal

PHrenetic · #**153** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 12:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityTech

No access from the eastern 417 (St Laurent being a partial interchange) and I don't think buses are allowed to use the Aviation Parkway either. Buses from Montreal would have to get off at Riverside or Innes and drive on city streets to get to St Laurent.

Good Day.

True. Access to and from west 417 is almost fully capable at St.Laurent Station, as is (one small proviso noted below).
Access to eastbound 417 is easy. Access from east 417 is now a pain.

As you note, from the east, the standard exit to Innes Rd., left on Innes to St.Laurent Blvd., right northbound to the circle bus-only loop passing under St.Laurent Blvd. into the St.Laurent Station bus loop.
The Aviation Parkway to Ogilvie Rd. to St.Laurent to Station would be about as good an option if opened to buses, which would probably only come about if that is the new Interprov Bridge to Quebec route (not anytime soon).
To take the Riverside / Vanier Parkway exit and re-enter 417 eastbound to come to St.Laurent from the west is just too convoluted.

From the west, the standard exit to St.Laurent Blvd, left at the traffic light onto St.Laurent northbound, cross all the way over to the east side
and take the circle bus-only loop passing under St.Laurent Blvd. into the St.Laurent Station bus loop.

To go east, take the exit from the bus loop under St.Laurent Blvd., use the bus-only circle loop to the traffic light, left onto St.Laurent Blvd. southbound,
and take the standard on-ramp for eastbound 417.

To go west, simply re-open that St.Laurent Station northwest end bus loop to bus-only 417 on-ramp that was in place during the LRT construction.

It still is basically as easy to manage as the ins and outs at Catherine St. with it's difficulties to get out of the station and onto the 417 eastbound.

And a potential bus station at Tremblay/VIA would be just as easy for 417 access by the standard Tremblay Rd. / Vanier Parkway / 417 ramps, over to the station loop, with it's nice big open roadways all around.

All the other proposals mentioned above have far more difficult access to the 417, which is critical for any bus service.

So..... St. Laurent (least re-construction) or Tremblay (some new construction) top the list, with Blair a distant third (too constrained a space without some major re-construction).

I just don't see any available place at Lees, and everything else is just too far from the 417 or from the LRT.

(As noted previously, it really is about time Catherine St. was abandoned, since there is just no real OC bus service at the station anymore.
LRT service to a new station should be regarded as essential as much as access to the 417.)

MHO. EnJoy!

khabibulin · #**154** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phil235

Depends on the size. I don't think Quebec City or Winnipeg has a real intercity bus terminal, and lots of mid-sized cities don't have them. Vancouver just has the train station I think.

Catherine has long been slated for redevelopment, so it would be nice to see that block become something more integrated into the city around it.

Winnipeg had a very nice intercity bus depot that was co-located at the Winnipeg International Airport. Winnipeg has no need for an intercity bus depot any longer since Greyhound ceased operations in western Canada (except Vancouver). That bus depot at the airport has since been demolished.

phil235 · #**155** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 1:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by khabibulin

Winnipeg had a very nice intercity bus depot that was co-located at the Winnipeg International Airport. Winnipeg has no need for an intercity bus depot any longer since Greyhound ceased operations in western Canada (except Vancouver). That bus depot at the airport has since been demolished.

Thanks. I don’t know Winnipeg well, but knew they didn’t have one downtown.

Truenorth00 · #**156** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 2:30 AM**

I'm hoping they can move to Tremblay. But that would require somebody Ponting up for a bus terminal there. Won't happen any time soon. I'm thinking St-Laurent is most likely.

midriser · #**157** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 4:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phil235

Thanks. I don’t know Winnipeg well, but knew they didn’t have one downtown.

Winnipeg did have a downtown greyhound terminal until August of 2009, just off of Portage Avenue and beside the University of Winnipeg. You can see it here in this streetview image from April 2009. Wasn’t very pretty but at least it was central. It’s still used by Winnipeg Transit though.

It went the way of the Edmonton terminal and got moved way out to a much less local transit friendly and almost unwalkable location, unless you like dragging luggage down an airport collector road with no sidewalks. Pretty much right where you wouldn’t want an intercity bus terminal - and they wonder why ridership dropped enough to warrant pulling out Western Canada entirely.

roger1818 · #**158** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 4:59 AM**

What about Ontario Northland? Have they announced if they are leaving the Catherine Street terminal as well? If so, what will they do until Greyhound picks a new location? I can’t imagine the Depot will stay open just for their one bus a day to/from Ottawa.

http://www.ontarionorthland.ca/commu...0-09-06-20.pdf

acottawa · #**159** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 7:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityTech

No access from the eastern 417 (St Laurent being a partial interchange) and I don't think buses are allowed to use the Aviation Parkway either. Buses from Montreal would have to get off at Riverside or Innes and drive on city streets to get to St Laurent.

Any location, including Catherine, involves driving on city streets.

acottawa · #**160** Posted **Oct 2, 2020, 7:42 AM**

The whole concept of an intercity bus terminal is pretty outdated. Even before the pandemic, fairly big cities were only served by a handful of routes.