More buses for seniors are coming to Delta.
The city’s new financial plan recently endorsed by Delta council includes a second seniors bus operating in North Delta this year. Mayor George Harvie said the plan is to have a second one for South Delta next year.
Equipped to hold 16 passengers, plus two wheelchairs, the vehicles are seen as providing a necessary service to seniors with mobility issues.
Delta launched the North Delta seniors bus as a pilot program in 2013.
Delta was one of 27 communities to receive a provincial grant aimed at assisting seniors with "age-friendly" projects to help them remain independent. That program is managed out of the Kennedy Seniors Centre.
The program is aimed at providing seniors with accessible, affordable and reliable transportation options and offer convenient access to seniors' activity centres, shopping, local medical services, banking and other community amenities.
The service is intended to improve transit options and encourage isolated or inactive seniors to become engaged in recreation, social and healthy lifestyle activities.
A bus began for seniors in South Delta in 2016 out of the McKee Seniors Recreation Centre.
The city’s annual report for 2018 noted that, to date, over 900 members use the free service and over 28,000 trips have been completed.
For more information about the service, visit http://www.delta.ca/services/seniors/delta-seniors-bus.
