Thursday November 20 2014
▼ Surrey Six killers to be sentenced 5
The
Leader
SURREY FIRST SWEPT 82% OF POLLS
$71 MILLION PLEDGED FOR SKYTRAIN FIXES
▼ ANALYSIS: OVERWHELMING WIN INTERRUPTED ONLY BY 11 POLLS TAKEN BY DOUG MCCALLUM AND ONE BY BARINDER RASODE KEVIN DIAKIW
Mayor-Elect Linda Hepner and her Surrey First team not only won the election, but they took more than four-fifths of the polling stations in the city. Hepner won 53 of the 65 polling stations. Her Surrey First team was also installed in all of those voting areas. There were 52 voting places on election day and 13 voting opportunities by mail and in advance of Nov. 15. Doug McCallum took 11 polling stations, eight of them in West Newton, and three of them in East Newton. He didn’t take a single polling station south of 63 Avenue. continued on page 3
▶ Result of the Nov. 15 civic election “speaks to Mayor (Dianne) Watts’ legacy.” BARINDER RASODE
SkyTrain upgrades will take place over the next five years in response to major system shutdowns that impacted thousands of passengers in July of this year. EVAN SEAL
▶ TRANSLINK CEO PROMISES TO FOLLOW RECOMMENDATIONS OF REVIEW INTO SUMMER SYSTEM SHUTDOWNS JEFF NAGEL
TransLink is committing to $71 million in SkyTrain upgrades spread over next five years in response to 20 recommendations from an independent review into major system shutdowns during the summer.
The Centre for all your
Dental Needs GATEWAY DENTAL CENTRE
The transportation authority says the changes aim to reduce the frequency and length of disruptions, quickly evacuate passengers and provide better communications to those affected. The major shutdowns July 17 and 21 stranded thousands of passengers for hours, prompting dozens to force open SkyTrain doors and walk unescorted on elevated guideways, causing even longer delays. Gary McNeil, a retired Toronto transit executive, said it’s critical the staff response and system upgrades give passengers confidence any shutdown will be quickly resolved so they won’t self-evacuate. A key promise announced by TransLink CEO
Ian Jarvis on McNeil’s recommendation is that SkyTrain staff reach stranded cars within 20 minutes of a shutdown and that there be much better communications with passengers to assure them help is on the way – a key failure in July. “We failed our customers last summer,” Jarvis said. “We can do better.” Jarvis said the extra money will be found from within TransLink’s existing revenues for capital maintenance and won’t affect the proposed transit expansion plan of area mayors that is to go to referendum in the spring. continued on page 3
General Ge neral & Cosmetic Dentistry
New & Emergency Patients Welcome
*FREE Professional Take Home Whitening Kit with complete new patient exam, cleaning & xrays. Located at
Unit 104 13401 108 Ave, Surrey ( Gateway Skytrain Stn ) 604-930-0755 | www.surreydental.ca for special offers
Evening & Saturday appointments available PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE