So we held our first public consultation workshop on the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study yesterday, at the SUB at UBC!

Judy Rudin was there (she’s one of our media relations folks), and she sent along a note on what happened.

A large crowd of 60 students and local residents first took time to view presentation boards of six possible alternatives for rapid transit in the heavily used Broadway Corridor.

People then got a short overview from Planning Project Manager Jeff Busby, who discussed the reasons for the study, its objectives and goals. An intensive, wide-open 2 hour workshop session led by TransLink staffers followed, with about 30 people staying to take part.

What can best be described as a kind of “transit speed dating” session soon followed. Smaller, breakout tables of participants saw all six transit options rotated around the room, and people at each table had a chance to analyze, discuss and ask questions about the possible issues, challenges and merits of each of the technologies.

Comments and questions were wide-ranging and the discussion was animated. But the most interesting part of watching this session was seeing people with differing opinions and viewpoints working together to provide a lot of great ideas and feedback to TransLink staff!

We’ll be doing this all over again on May 4, 2010, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at St James Community Square (3214 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver). Join us there or see if another in-person workshop fits your schedule. Or visit bepartoftheplan.ca to learn & discuss online!