Just getting started! Bear with us as we get our stuff in order and the ideas start flowing. It looks like we're starting with the presentation on alternate transportation.
I will be uploading the entire presentation as supplied to me later so everyone can see exactly what we heard at the meeting.
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Any comments on alternate transportation are welcome at this time, though.
ReplyDeletePORT ALBERNI ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND ENERGY FAIR PROPOSAL
I believe that North America is on the cusp of a transportation change. The signs are already appearing. Demand for fuel efficient vehicles is on the rise. Fuel prices are high and getting higher. Transportation infrastructure is failing; (roads, bridges etc.). Now is the time for a change in the way we view and deal with transportation, particularly our personal transportation.
Government and the large automakers have been too slow to respond to consumer demands for alternative transportation. Until recently gas and electric scooters have been rarities on our city streets. However in 2008 there were at least 2 local outlets selling inexpensive electric scooters, and one selling electric cars and bicycle electric conversion kits. My wife’s response to my grumbles of not enough was why not organize a transportation fair where local people and merchants could show off their products? What we envisioned was a fair at which local inventors and backyard mechanics could display their projects and local and non-local vendors could display and sell their wares. At the January 15 meeting someone suggested an alternate energy fair. Since the two topics are closely related, it should be possible to do them together. There are at least 2 local outlets selling wind generators and solar panels.
To put on this Fair we will need:
- a steering committee
- funding
- a venue (fairgrounds?)
- a time frame
- advertising
- volunteers
- non vendor participants
- vendor participants (including food and beverage)
Possible Local Vendors include:
Animal House
Canadian Tire
Ozzie’s Cycle
Wal Mart
Jaq’s
Local car dealers
The fair can deal with electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, steam vehicles, conversions, scooters, sidewalk scooters, power chairs, bicycles, tricycles (tadpoles and deltas), and alternate energy sources. Non-vendor participants could be allotted a space for display purposes at no cost. Vendor participants could be charged a nominal fee ($50.00 (it’s tax deductible)) or sponsor part of the funding. Any admission fee should be small, to encourage people to come. I think I’ll stop at this point as I’m getting into nuts and bolts which is more properly the business of the steering committee.
INFORMATION
ReplyDeleteIt is a little known fact that any gasoline fueled internal combustion engine can be converted to run on propane (LPG) or natural gas (CNG) or both and retain its ability to run on gasoline. We are all aware of the disadvantages of running vehicles on gasoline. Propane fueled vehicles have a number of advantages. They emit roughly 70% less pollutants than gas engines, the exhaust gases consist primarily of carbon dioxide and water, and maintenance costs are much lower. Thus LPG and CNG vehicles could be used to transition to Electric vehicles.
Right now the big manufacturers are hyping hybrid vehicles. This is a ploy to squeeze more money out of the consumer before the inevitable transition to full electric in five to ten years. Ford and General Motors had full electric vehicles approximately 20 years ago. One, the EV1 was leased to various people for extended testing and was a huge success. Then GM recalled them all and scrapped them despite the protests of the lessees and their offers to buy their EV1s. We are being conned, but this time we know it.
Over 100 years ago full electric vehicles were built in garages and bicycle shops all over North America. They worked and ran on the roads of the time. Those roads were execrable by modern standards. Steam driven vehicles were also common (external combustion engines). We as individuals can build our own electric vehicles mostly from off-shelf parts. In fact many current gas cars can be converted directly to electric. This gets around most of the bureaucratic garbage that we have to comply with to get licenses and insurance.
Stop and think for a moment. If you take a gas (IC) car strip out the motor, transmission, fuel lines, fuel tank and exhaust system you have a shell into which you can add a DC or AC electric motor with adapter plate to the drive shaft and a motor mount to support the motor. Add a motor controller and batteries and voila you have an electric car. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but not much. I am planning to do just that.
above are the two transparencies of the alternative transportation presentation.
ReplyDeleteComments on the above:
Charging the vendors registration fees. ($50?)
Next discussion:
ReplyDeleteAlberniLovers post this afternoon and his/her suggestions about how to make Port Alberni more desireable.
Capitalizing on what we have. The Railroad.
Talking about Fourrings as a tourist. Most people aren't interested in buskers/music, etc. Mostly interested in wildlife adventures.
Discussion Part 3:
ReplyDeleteA new idea from a new member!!!!: have the alberni valley become a model of sustainablility in a global sense. We have well defined boundaries, mountains surround us, we have a watershed, a lot of good farmland, forest. We have a relatively small population, a real opportunity to become very self sustaining in many ways.
Not only energy wise, but food wise. This idea is compatable with a brand. Have the farmers market and 100 mile diet (or less!) concept in place.
Using marketing boards, agricultural land reserve.
Maybe incentives for using/selling local produce.
Also another idea: A salmon homecoming festival. Seeing it as becoming tired, Time to give back to nature what we have taken in the past. - To take place just after thanksgiving.
: tours of the salmon enhancement activities throughout the valley.
what about a realistic affordable idea... the city wide garage sale! where everyone can place out their items at their own home. And the map idea was great, with advertising around the permiter to pay for the cost. Maybe a small cost for the map, like one poster mentioned on alberni.ca
ReplyDeleteDiscussion part 4:
ReplyDeleteCreating our infrastructure. Lets make Port Alberni what suits us. Bringing the people of Port Alberni together. Thinking about the legacy we're leaving behind for our children and grandchildren.
Our town is whatever we want it to be. Finding the funding sources that be, the energy of people that want "something".
Need to find out what we're trying to accomplish and sell and how to tap into that market.
A good discussion on how to build our group into a group that can accomplish each others dreams in a way that will create a legacy for Port Alberni.
Show the world that you don't need more than the will, dreams and commitment of a few really good people.
New Idea: using the salmon festival as a way to appreciate the salmon. "You live WITH your world, not IN your world".
Another New Idea:
ReplyDeletePutting at the top of the clock tower a dial indicating which mountains are which.
how does putting a dial indicating which mountain is which going to help the town keep the residents here to earn a living? These people need employment, or the people will leave and then what?
ReplyDelete:) I wish I had an answer to that question haha. Just trying to get all the ideas that are coming out :)
ReplyDeleteOn the infrastructure idea, I'm still plugging away for city-wide broad band . . . maybe under the new budget if the province will kick in?
ReplyDeletePossibly in some kind of UVic partnership?
pen
Sorry I just started in without letting you know I'm here . . . who else is blogging?
ReplyDeleteAny one wanna beer lol? Just checking to see if i work :)
ReplyDeleteWe are currently discussing a "focus" of sorts. Replacing "talking" with "doing".
ReplyDeleteI put in a bit about broad band . . . don't know who else is here in blogsville . . . uh, pass on the beer, but if someone shoots me a cheescake I won't complain, LOL
ReplyDeleteCLJ here "puts up hand"
ReplyDeleteAh! pen here. Howdy.
ReplyDeleteYes Yes, jeckle called me earlier, and mentioned cheescake. I want to know if the cheescake is good or not
ReplyDeleteThe cheesecake is here, apparently, but not yet eaten :P
ReplyDeleteWe are currently discussing an alternate highway to courtenay.
The doing part will have to come from some talking, and then go to the proper authorities to get the ideas in place and select dates etc
ReplyDeletehopefully not to hasten the exodus.
ReplyDeleteBut, if there's provincial or federal money to be had, it's worth a thought.
We need an attraction that makes us a destination.... the traffic is already here, we just need to make them "stop and spend"
ReplyDeleteHow many people are at the meeting?
ReplyDelete12 people are here right now...we had 13 when we started!
ReplyDeletefor the jobs building the road . . . ?
ReplyDeleteThe traffic could easily be halted at johnston, if we move Alberni Elementary to another location, and get that pit stop there, with unique shops etc, and the train to take you downtown or else out to the mill
ReplyDeletethere's 12 people building a road already? cool this is going fast!
ReplyDeletewe need more than a that, we also need permanent stop and live here folk, LOL
ReplyDeleteyeah....i'm slow on the 'verification' thingie...makes it quite a disjointed convo, what? hehehe
ReplyDeletemust be a long road discussion . . . is everyone excited by the idea?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could tell the conversation here was any more 'jointed' LOL
ReplyDeleteWe seem to be a little all over the place again. Makes it difficult to blog, I'm doing my best!
Keep shooting your ideas out and I'll keep bringing them up.
just trying to keep within the discussion,you're doing just fine there with the blogging.
ReplyDeletepen
Of corse we need live folks to live here! but we also want to halt that traffic lining up for gas and make the kidlets scream at daddy to pullover now!
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR THE CHEESECAKE JECKLE!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's fabulous, everyone is enjoying them :D
yes...a variety of ideas for both tourism and just plain growth . . . both vital for re-vital-ization.
ReplyDeletepen
... need something that is all year around.
ReplyDeletewho are the newbies? Pipsquak?
ReplyDeletei'm putting my name at the bottom so you know who i am . . . munching virtual cheescake but prolly not as good as Jeck's. Sigh.
ReplyDeletepen
All year round in Port Alberni means a covered tourist thing
ReplyDeleteor new industry and improved prospects for businesses already here? more jobs, more families, more services to provide for all
ReplyDeletetourism is not our only avenue
pen
what is here to attract tourists that you can't find anywhere else on the island?
ReplyDeleteyes! we agree PEN, tourism should not be the only avenue looked at. Perhaps something that benefits people here year round, not seasonal.
ReplyDeleteCheers pen, my hubby got me a pint of dairqueen with cherries since i cant have the cheescake, but am going to get my own from jeck hopefully soon. I just want to know if it is worth my possible investment lol...CLJ p.s how the heck to i post without having to write down that secret word? What do i have to subscribe here to?
ReplyDeletedunno....do know that what is here that you can't find anywhere else on the island is affordable housing and no where to go but up.
ReplyDeletestrong suits if we can improve the infrastructure and make a more attractive business climate . . . All types of business, tourism and non.
pen
Good call. I'll do my best to bring it up before the meeting closes for the night. Seems we're on a "cheesecake" break :P
ReplyDeletei subscribe and still have to say the magic word to win a duck, LOL
ReplyDeletecome on fellow anons . . . type yer nicknames already. I'se too old ta keep guessing, hehehe.
pen
affordable housing is not affordable if the owner cannot pay the mortgage because of no employment... If all the businesses and people cannot live here anymore up go the taxes... infact soon the tax will be so much that people won't be able to keep their homes. What is it 5% in the next 3 years?
ReplyDeleteAlso,the services in town are going to be cut if the Owners of the Mill gets their way...
So...
ReplyDeleteyes, that's the situation at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't mean we have to let it stay that way. Employment is key . . . and businesses are employers. This is why some year round businesses with steady employment are very much needed here.
Let's get creative and find ways to make Port a great new business destination. With internet you can do business just about anywhere, why not here?
pen
so,if you can't keep the residents employed and living in Port Alberni paying taxes etc.. what is the point of trying to get visitors, what to see a ghost town?
ReplyDeleteHa ha, is dark cloud blogging? :) And how do i get the feed? I cant get the feed unless I post CLJ
ReplyDeletewe do business over the internet, but with the economy bad everywhere there is no money in it right now, no matter where the business is located, here or somewhere else!!! If no jobs or money, and the bleak news cast every night no one is buying anything... just the essentials.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteAll the more reason to think creatively . . . it's very competitive now and sitting here whinging about things isn't going to solve anything.
ReplyDeleteThe way to revitalize the town is to start by revitalizing our thinking.
What is now is not what must be tomorrow. So if the only thing people can buy is the essentials, corner the damned market on essentials.
But start.
pen
Im annoyed about our mayors priorities of expansion of the arena...WTH for?? Money wasted IMO. The new tourist bureau isnt a priority for me either, but fixing up the area around the bill boards is a priority for me, so is the high traffic areas. im hoping that with some fixing up of our vital areas, some of those tourists might decide to sell the farm and move here if we are still a cheap realestate town...CLJ
ReplyDeleteSeems that the discussion has turned to everyone getting their ideas together about the 'Emporium' and discussing it at the next meeting. So if you're coming to the next meeting, bring your ideas!!
ReplyDeleteI guess we'd better roll up our sleeves and form work parties then.
ReplyDeleteEven if it doesn't pay off tomorrow, we'll all feel better . . . just feeling better sometimes shakes the doom and gloom out of the picture. LOL
Corner the market on essentials, hmm, my brain might start going into over drive mulling this over all night. There are a ton of essentials out there, now which ones...
ReplyDeleteCLJ
Okay, I'm getting the high sign from the hub. Eyes must rest - too much computer screen. Arghh. He's right, as usual.
ReplyDeleteGood discussion guys, thanks.
Night meeting people, (cheescake hogs)!
pen
.
ReplyDeleteThats it! Hogs cheescakes, cant get much more rednecky than that pen!
ReplyDeleteit's hard to be creative when you are concentrating on making enough funds to pay for you own essentials!
ReplyDeleteNo fixed income here and moving away is not an option that costs money too!
must be more realistic.... something that can happen soon with limited funds.
ReplyDeleteanyone there? is the meeting over?
ReplyDelete