WHITE ROCK - With funds apparently having run out prematurely, the city has stepped in with $20,000 to keep White Rock's free trolley service alive.
Started as a collaboration between Tourism White Rock, the White Rock Business Improvement Association and the city, the trolley service offers free rides through four of the city's main districts.
However, Coun. Helen Fathers said she was recently alerted that Tourism White Rock had a shortfall of $20,000 to fund the trolley. Saying the BIA was unable to share the funding responsibilities at this time, Fathers wondered if the city might be able to step in to keep the service going.
But before the council approved anything, Coun. Alan Campbell said he was disappointed in the BIA for not doing their bit as a partner.
"I come from a time when you had a handshake and agreement and you carried on and paperwork came later," said Campbell, who sits as council's representative at Tourism White Rock. "We sat down as two individual groups and discussed what they wanted to support and didn't support. $20,000 is extremely important, and I would say the trolley would have a lot to do with business improvement."
Coun. Bill Lawrence, the city's representative at the BIA agreed with Campbell and said he, too, was disappointed in the BIA's lack of support. Lawrence then went on to praise the impact the trolley has had on the community.
"It's provided an opportunity for visitors to visit all around White Rock," he said.
With the trolley service expected to expire July 1, Mayor Wayne Baldwin suggested council commit the $20,000 upfront rather than waiting for a staff report, which would have to be at the next meeting on July 14. Council approved the motion unanimously.
White Rock BIA president and former city councillor Lynne Sinclair said while the BIA funded a large part of the trolley in its pilot year last year, that commitment was not meant to carry over to this year.
"We're actually meeting tonight to talk about that. We've always been in discussions around it but the concerns we had was the disproportionate amount we were being asked to fund," said Sinclair. "We did it last year as a one-time only thing but were very clear that we had to get more sponsors and not pay $20,000 ourselves because it's much more of a tourism/city initiative than it is a business initiative. It doesn't even go in all of our business improvement areas necessarily."
Sinclair said there is still a chance that the BIA would be able to help fund the trolley service, but just not in the amount that was being requested.
"I think there always was that chance but I think there was a rush and I'm glad the city is putting forward the funds because I think it's more a city initiative," she said.
Sinclair later confirmed Thursday that the BIA would be putting $6,000 towards the trolley.
cpoon@thenownewspaper.com