By Doug Draper
So at least some of us want to move away from our so very car-dependent culture. We are looking for other options for getting around.
Ontario’s CarShare president Jason Hammond in Niagara for the lauch of the first care, we as a community, can share with each other. Photo by Doug Draper
Well, then let’s give two thumbs up to Community CarShare and important partners like the City of St. Catharines, the Quartek Group, a progressive-minded architects, engineers and planning company, and others, for launching an alternative to our car dominated culture – even if it involves cars.
This October 3rd, Community CarShare and its partners, include this Niagara, Ontario city of St. Catharines and important private partners like Quartek, launched the first CarShare program in all of this region. It is a program that allows people to share cars, if and when they need it, without having to go through the expense of owning one. It is, in so many ways, a way out of a car-dependent culture that holds anyone who still owns a car hostage to the high costs of owning, maintaining and insuring a car.
It is also a program that, as supporters from Quartek and others said during the launch, will hopefully reduce “the carbon footprint” that may be contributing to climate change and may be leaving more dangerous planet conditions for our children and grandchildren.
So here finally is CarShare Niagara – a program that has already proven to be a success in other regions of Ontario and across the border in Buffalo, New York – which gives people who join it an opportunity to share cars with other members of the program, when they need it. Think about the opportunity to do that, and think about how much cheaper that is than, what many of us do, owning, more than one cars at home and having to pay all that extra money on maintenance, insurance, etc.
It may not be the answer for everyone, but for some of us in this region, CarShare may be one more less costly alternative to more car ownership with all the cost that car ownership involves.
So far, the CarShare program has launched only one nice fuel-efficient car – a 2012 Toyota Matrix built in Ontario – and has about 20 members who have paid membership fees to use it – but the organizers of the program said more cars will come on line if the membership grows.
Niagara At Large encourages you to check the following link for more information on CarShare, membership fees and how to use this first-of-a-kind transportation alternative program in Niagraa, Ontario. That link is www.communitycarshare.ca
You can also find out more about the CarShare program in the Buffalo, New York area, where it is a growing success, by clicking on www.BuffaloCarShare.org.
NAL is also happy to post the following October 3rd media release from Community CarShare around its Niagara launch.
ST. CATHARINES, Ontario, October 3rd, 2013 – Community CarShare, St. Catharines’ non-profit car sharing co-operative, has launched its first CarShare vehicle in the city. A 2012 Toyota Matrix is stationed at the Carlisle Street Parking Garage in a parking spot provided by the City of St. Catharines.
To help launch the service, Community CarShare has been working with a local group of residents and businesses. With her need for an occasional second vehicle, Karrie Porter has been leading the team, and she is thrilled the service is launching.
“Being a member-owner in this co-operative business is more practical, affordable, and environmentally sustainable than buying a second car,” Ms. Porter said. “Community CarShare will be a welcome amenity to the residents and businesses of St. Catharines and will spread throughout the Niagara Region as new members join and new cars are added to keep up with the demand.”
Community CarShare is pleased to be launching in the city, where organizing has been ongoing since 2012. Community partners to date include parking providers Pen Financial Credit Union and The Unitarian Congregation of Niagara, as well as Corporate Member Quartek Group.
The City of St. Catharines has also contributed to the effort.
“Municipal involvement from the beginning is key to a successful expansion of carsharing service,” said Jason Hammond, president. “The city’s contribution of eight parking spaces provides a solid foundation upon which we can grow.”
Community CarShare provides access to 36 vehicles on a self-serve, pay-per-use basis to its more than 950 members in Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, Elmira, Guelph, and St. Catharines. By filling in the gaps with occasional car use, the co-op helps support the use of greener transportation modes such as transit and cycling. Members reserve vehicles that are located across the service area at self-serve stations, often near home or work, and on transit routes. Overall, driving is reduced, helping members to improve their personal and financial health, while mitigating climate change and increasing neighbourhood vibrancy. More information, including a location map and rates, can be found on the co-op’s website, www.communitycarshare.ca .
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