ION Phase 2 - Cambridge's Light Rail Transit

[taylortbb]

You're not going to find a citation in public records, but I can confirm the veracity of Dan's statement. I talked privately with the region about the issue (as a part of TriTAG), and Cadillac Fairview definitely didn't want the bus terminal on their property. Management views bus riders as just taking up space and using facilities meant for paying customers, without ever buying anything. 

Conestoga Mall is quite the contrast, where management views bus riders as a key source of customers, and has been extremely accommodating of GRT.

Of course this may have something to do with the different demographics of transit ridership between the two areas.

You mean like when they started ticketing anyone who parked their car there and rode on the LRT ?

Also, what does demographics have to do with it.  Many people ride transit irrespective of their socially economic status.  You statement implies that people boarding the train in the south are not as well off as people boarding a train in North Waterloo....  I board the train with my family at Fairview, I can advise that my income is well above that of the median income of Waterloo..

Giving out warnings to people that use their parking lot as a park n' ride definitely wasn't the most transit supportive thing they've done. But they did give GRT a very cheap lease on the prime space directly in front of the main door so they could build a bus terminal. Compared to pushing the bus terminal off the property it is a very different level of support, even if there is room to do more.

As for the demographic difference, KevinL is right that I was referring to university students. I also live in Kitchener, and ride GRT, and make above median income, this isn't some "those Kitchener people" thing. But the reality is that most bus riders in WR are either students, seniors, or low income. WR has very few choice bus riders. The LRT is changing that, but this decision was about the bus terminal not the LRT. Conestoga Mall sees university students as a huge part of their customer base, but university students don't go to Fairview very much. Fairview's customers from buses are more high school students and those of low incomes, which the mall perceives (rightly or wrongly) as less likely to spend money. If you rode the old 200 from Conestoga to Fairview the difference in demographics along the route was noticeable.