CambridgeToday received the following letter in response to the Region of Waterloo's business case for GO passenger train service between Cambridge and Guelph.
I want to preface this letter to say that I think we need to have GO Train service in Cambridge yesterday and it would be foolish to be against any passenger rail transport in Cambridge, particularly having the service go through Guelph.
Cambridge is unfortunately in an odd spot to get to without a car, despite it being right next to the 401. As with a previous letter to the editor, it takes more than 1.5 hours to get to Guelph without a car from Cambridge, where the drive is 20-30 minutes.
Anywhere else in the developed world (outside of the USA), having this kind of travel time between two neighbouring municipalities is unacceptable. We need to see this rail service more as a way to go to Guelph, Georgetown, or Brampton than a practical way to commute to Toronto as without electrification, train speeds do not allow a timely commute to Toronto.
However, seeing as this rail service is a shuttle service between Guelph and Cambridge, with no direct connection to the rest of the GO Kitchener Line, I believe that the current plan to have a single terminal station at Pinebush and Hespeler is a huge mistake.
Placing the station in the least walkable, pedestrian-hostile place in Cambridge will poison the well for future rapid transit development as the low ridership will have people, particularly NIMBYs, brand this service a boondoggle.
Currently, the catchment area has a population of practically zero, and is primarily occupied by car dealerships, big box developments, restaurants, and parking lots, with no existing attractions.
Depending on a transit-oriented development to populate at this location is not the most prudent decision, seeing the massive transit-oriented development around Mimico Station in Toronto cancelled to the chagrin of local residents.
A large high rise complex was supposed to be built on the northeast corner of Pinebush and Hespeler, but this development has been radio silent for years.
It is also a fair distance away from the current population centres in Cambridge, being about 20 minutes away by bus from Ainslie Street Terminal.
Therefore, there must not be one, but two stations on this route. One station in Hespeler and one in Galt.
A Hespeler station, where Fergus subdivision crosses Guelph Avenue has a great catchment area and the site has plenty of room for a bus station and parking.
An effort must also be made to have this rail service terminate in Galt, either at the Ainslie Street Terminal or at the site of the Beverly Street parking Lot.
This will be great as most of the key locations in Galt are covered in the catchment area from the Ainslie Street Terminal, as well as several new high rise developments in the area.
Having three total stations in this rail service between Guelph and Cambridge will make this whole effort worthwhile and is guaranteed not to be a boondoggle.
Being able to get to Hespeler from Galt without a car will be a boon as it currently takes 40 minutes over two buses to get to the Ainslie Street Terminal where with this rail service, it would be approximately 12 minutes.
This would also allow people from Galt and Hespeler to go to the University of Guelph without a car in a timely manner.
Similarly, it would allow people from Guelph, Georgetown, or Brampton to attend Conestoga College easily.
This proposal, while considerably more work and construction, will be a guaranteed success.
Jan Anthony Mendoza
Cambridge
