Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal

Horseshoe Bay
Ferry terminal
A ferry departing the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal.
General information
Location6750 Keith Road
West Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
Coordinates49°22′35″N 123°16′16″W / 49.37639°N 123.27111°W / 49.37639; -123.27111
Owned byBC Ferries
Operated byBC Ferries
Line(s)Route 2–Departure Bay
Route 3–Langdale
Route 8–Snug Cove
Bus routes3
Bus stands1
Bus operators
Connections
  •  250  Vancouver
  •  257  Vancouver Express
  •  262  Lions Bay-Brunswick
  •  262  Caulfeild
Construction
Parking
  • 138 short-term spaces
  • 460 long-term spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeHSB[1]
Websitewww.bcferries.com/travel-boarding/terminal-directions-parking-food/vancouver-horseshoe-bay/HSB/
History
Opened1951
Original companyBlack Ball Lines
Key dates
1961Acquired by the Government of British Columbia[2]
Passengers
20233 514 666[Note 1] Increase 3.56%

Horseshoe Bay is a major ferry terminal owned and operated by BC Ferries in British Columbia, Canada. Located in the community of Horseshoe Bay, a neighbourhood of West Vancouver, the terminal provides a vehicle ferry link from the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, and to Bowen Island, a small island in the southern part of Howe Sound.

Comprising three berths, Horseshoe Bay is the third largest BC Ferries terminal, after Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.[citation needed]

Establishment and expansion

In 1951, the Black Ball Line leased a wharf and began a service to Gibsons[2] (later relocated to Langdale).[3] In 1953, a new route to Departure Bay in Nanaimo was established.[4] In 1956, services to Bowen Island began when Black Ball replaced the Union Steamship Company of British Columbia.[5]

In 1961, the provincial government purchased the various Black Ball operations.[6] In the late 1960s, the terminal was reconstructed and expanded.[7][8] In 1976, a new upper deck loading ramp was built.[9]

In 2002, substantial improvements were completed at a cost of $39 million, which primarily addressed traffic awaiting embarkation on ferries. Holding stalls increased from 650 to 1,265 by absorbing former highway, removing a freeway bridge and truck runaway lane, and reconfiguring a highway interchange. Additional construction included a 450-car underground parkade and new buildings for foot passengers, amenities and maintenance.[10] A $250 million upgrade of the terminal is planned for the 2020s.[11]

On March 28, 2022, the first seismic sensor for British Columbia's earthquake early warning system was installed at the Horseshoe Bay terminal.[12]

Ferry rides from Horseshoe Bay are described by fictional characters in the novel The Cat's Table, by Booker Prize-winning author Michael Ondaatje, and in the short story What is Remembered, by Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro.

Incidents and accidents

  • 1966: Langdale Queen ran over a nearby rowboat; both occupants survived.[13]
  • 1982: Queen of Surrey rammed the dock, causing significant damage.[14]
  • 1985: Three occupants were killed when Queen of Cowichan ran over a pleasure boat near the terminal.[15]
  • 1989: A structural steel load on an arriving truck shifted, striking seven parked vehicles and injuring two women in the holding lot.[16]
  • 1990: After brakes failed, a loaded truck struck a parked van and spilled hot asphalt, killing two of the occupants and injuring others.[17] The truck driver received an 18-month sentence, increased to five years on appeal.[18] At a new trial, the driver was found guilty of dangerous driving but not criminal negligence.[19]
  • 1991: Robbers stole $12,000 in coin from a safe at the terminal.[20]
  • 1995: Queen of Coquitlam slammed into pilings, damaging its bow.[21]
  • 2005: Queen of Oak Bay lost control and smashed into a number of private boats at the marina in Horseshoe Bay; no fatalities were reported.[22]
  • 2019: A crew member was significantly injured after being hit by the Queen of Cowichan's bow door, which was having trouble opening at the terminal.[23]
  • 2022: A minor rock slide on January 2 closed the parkade for rock removal and structural repairs. The parkade was re-opened on May 18, 2022.[24][25]
  • Cars lining up at the terminal.
    Cars lining up at the terminal.
  • A ferry departing the terminal.
    A ferry departing the terminal.
  • Queen of Oak Bay departing the terminal.
    Queen of Oak Bay departing the terminal.
  • Entrance to the terminal.
    Entrance to the terminal.
  • Queen of Capilano arrives at the terminal.
    Queen of Capilano arrives at the terminal.

Notes

  1. ^ Figures obtained for 2022 & 2023 from adding the passengers counted at Horseshoe Bay from the routes 2, 3, and 8 in each month of the calendar year.[1] The figures under "Total Prev Year" are not used because those denote fiscal years instead of calendar years. The total passenger count at Horseshoe Bay for 2022 was 3 393 770.

References

  1. ^ a b "Plans, Reports, Policies and Other Resources". Connecting the Coast | BC Ferries. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  2. ^ a b "Horseshoe Bay". hp.bccna.bc.ca. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
  3. ^ Little, Gary. "Black Ball Ferries 1951–1961". www.garylittle.ca.
  4. ^ "New Ferry Link for Nanaimo". The Daily Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. 30 Sep 1952. p. 3 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ Crilly, Martin Laurence (1973). Analysis of British Columbia Ferries and its Commercial Vehicle Policy (MBA). University of British Columbia. p. 70 (57).
  6. ^ "CP Considering Ways to Compete With Black Ball". Prince George Citizen. 6 Dec 1961. p. 1 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  7. ^ "Bids Opened On Terminal". The Daily Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. 4 Nov 1967. p. 10 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ The British Columbia Road Runner. Vol. 5, no. 3. Department of Highways. Sep 1968. p. 2 https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/reports-and-reference/road-runner/newsletters/1968_09_september.pdf#page=2. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "New ferry hurdles obstacles". The Daily Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. 27 Jul 1976. p. 41 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ Furtado, Glen, M.A.Sc., EIT; Hobbs, Steve, P.Eng (1 Jan 2003). "TRANSPORTATION: Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal". Canadian Consulting Engineer. Association of Canadian Engineering Companies.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Chan, Kenneth (19 Sep 2019). "BC Ferries planning world-class hub upgrade for Horseshoe Bay terminal (RENDERINGS)". Daily Hive. Vancouver: ZoomerMedia.
  12. ^ Kotyk, Alyse (29 March 2022). "1st sensor for Canada's early earthquake warning system installed in B.C." CTV News. Bell Media.
  13. ^ "Man 'Run Over' By Ferry". Prince George Citizen. 24 Jan 1966. p. 5 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  14. ^ "Bad month on ferries". Prince George Citizen. 1 Sep 1982. p. 3 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  15. ^ "Boat operators blamed for deaths". Prince George Citizen. 7 Mar 1986. p. 9 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  16. ^ "Two hurt at terminal". Prince George Citizen. 18 Jul 1989. p. 2 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  17. ^ "Grieving man lashes out after ferry terminal mishap". Prince George Citizen. 10 Jul 1990. p. 2 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  18. ^ "Out on bail". Prince George Citizen. 4 Sep 1992. p. 2 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  19. ^ "Truck driver guilty". Prince George Citizen. 13 Feb 1995. p. 2 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  20. ^ "Heavy money". Sunshine Coast News. 18 May 1991. p. 8 – via UBC Library.
  21. ^ "Ferry slams into pilings". Prince George Citizen. 21 Oct 1995. p. 17 – via Prince George Newspapers.
  22. ^ "Marine Investigation Report M92W1022". Transportation Safety Board of Canada. 24 May 2007.
  23. ^ NanaimoNewsNOW Staff (19 Oct 2019). "Ferry worker injured on Queen of Cowichan hospitalized, 2 sailings cancelled". NanaimoNewsNOW.
  24. ^ Judd, Amy (January 3, 2022). "Rock slide forces closure of BC Ferries parkade at Horseshoe Bay terminal". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  25. ^ @BCFerries (2022-05-18). "#BCFHeadsUp - The parkade at our #HorseshoeBay Terminal has been fully repaired and is now open for business! We sincerely appreciate your patience throughout the repairs. ^ab" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-07-31 – via Twitter.

49°22′32″N 123°16′19″W / 49.37560°N 123.27182°W / 49.37560; -123.27182