Possible options for bringing back Chatham-Kent’s “beach bus” will be presented to council next week.
Municipal staff will present a report to council on Monday, detailing the feasibility of restoring the seasonal bus service.
The bus previously operated each weekend between the Victoria Day long weekend and Labour Day with routes from Chatham to Mitchell’s Bay and Erieau, with stops in Pain Court, Grande Point, Charing Cross, and Blenheim along the way.
However, the service was paused during the pandemic and not renewed during the 2022 budget process.
Since its elimination, staff and members of council have occasionally received requests for reinstatement of the bus route in some form, according to the staff report.
The report lists three potential options should council decide to reinstate the bus service, which would run between Victoria Day and Labour Day.
The first is to have the bus run from Monday to Saturday plus statutory holidays at an estimated cost of $85,973 per year.
The second option would have the bus run just on Saturdays, statutory holidays, and on the Sundays of long weekends at a cost of $21,280 annually.
The third option would see the bus run on one Saturday per month in June, July and August, costing $2,576 per year.
