A necessary program in the community of Agassiz and Harrison is coming to an end in late June with the closure of the Community Drivers Program, an essential service that helps people get around.
The community-based volunteer program provides rides for residents currently without transportation means to all local Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland medical appointments and other personal services.
“Agassiz Harrison Community Services might consider coordinating the program but there are costs involved – I hope the district will come to me with a bit of money,” said AHCS Executive Director Bobbi Jacob.
The service is reliant on volunteers, who are paid 50 cents per km, and without enough volunteer interest the service cannot sustain itself.
This will leave a huge gap in the community for residents who rely on the service, especially for the elderly and for those who have no alternate means of transportation, or support.
“I’ve had at least ten calls in my office in the past two weeks about the program from people who are concerned over the loss of transportation,” said Jacob. “I know of an 88 year old woman, who uses the service for cancer treatments and I don’t know how she’s going to get to them at this point, so I really feel for people.”
Jacob sent a letter to the district to see what steps need to be taken to ensure that this type of service is continued, whether it be in another form like HandyDART transit, which provides a similar service on behalf of the province. The district of Kent addressed it at their May 8, meeting and are up to speed on the closing of the program, while, working on what needs to be done to address the issue within the community.