A popular trolley used during Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics has been vandalized by metal thieves, putting a plan to resurrect the streetcar service in jeopardy.
This week, thieves made away with nearly 500 metres of metal cable along the tracks between Anderson Street and the Alder Street overpass.
The historic railway was used to shuttle passengers along False Creek during the Olympics and every summer, however the streetcars stopped running in 2012 due to a lack of funds.
Two years after investing $8.5 million to refurbish the tracks for the games, the City of Vancouver pulled the plug on funding and the Transit Museum Society couldn’t carry on with the service.
Volunteers hoping to resurrect the trolley haven’t been able to find a corporate sponsor to help foot the $50,000 annual operating bill.
Now they are worried this week’s theft has jeopardized the project’s future.
Vancouver city councillor Geoff Meggs said the thefts are a concern, but replacing the cables may not be financially viable.
He said it’s time for city council to take a look at the future of the railway, but reopening it would be a financial struggle due to low ridership and low revenues.
“At the moment, there isn’t any money for operation,” he said.
Meggs said the city should focus on funding other transportation projects such as the proposed Broadway corridor transit line.
With files from Tanya Beja
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