E-mail to Transit – Updated

To Whom It May Concern,

It came to my attention last week that there will be no elevator service at the New Westminster Skytrain. As a result I went to Columbia station where it turns out the elevator to get to the platform is not working. This was after I had to wrestle with the door to get into the station as there is no button to open the door. Fortunately, I need the elevators not because I am in a wheelchair but because I have a stroller. There have been no postings on the elevator about the Columbia elevator and none about New Westminster until last week when it was on the radio.

It was while I was lugging my stroller down the stairs that I realised Sapperton’s elevators are also out of service. This means that every skytrain station in New Westminster except for 22^nd street is no longer wheelchair accessible. Did you not think that this would be problematic? I can at least pick up my stroller and my daughter (grocery shopping is obviously no longer going to be possible) but people in wheelchairs do not have this luxury, they are in wheelchairs because they can’t walk down stairs.

I realise that luxury condos are obviously more important than the transit users, so I am assuming that there won’t be a stop work order on Plaza 88 or the condos at Sapperton. A simple solution would be to build a ramp in the Columbia station so that no elevator is needed and install a door to make the building wheelchair accessible.

Thank-you for your time,

Me

Update:  Translink did get back to me and explained that they are not the owners of the building at Columbia Skytrain Station though they have been negotiating with them to get the elevator fixed.  Apparently the Eastbound elevator is still accessible at New Westminster Station and then you have to cross at the concourse level.  Sapperton is just out of luck until the building is finished.  I am assuming that the new plan does include wheelchair accessibility, especially as it is the station right beside the hospital.  Translink responded in less than 24 hours; New Westminster who approved all of the building has still not responded.