The much-anticipated return of the Stanley Park miniature train is full-steam ahead but tickets, on the other hand, have already completely sold out for its first event.
Vancouver Park Board said more than 23,000 tickets sold out in less than 90 minutes for its Bright Nights train rides, Thursday morning.
“We appreciate the tremendous interest in the train and recognize the challenges that some users encountered while trying to buy tickets,” a spokesperson said in an email.
“We share in the collective disappointment that not everyone was able to secure tickets and we will be reviewing our ticketing process going forward.”
While the train tickets are now sold out, park board staff said there still will be holiday light displays and activities that will be open and free to the public.
One of those British Columbian who was not able to secure a ticket, shared his frustrations with Global News.
“I tried to get Bright Night tickets. I was on the website just a little after 9 a.m. (and) when I signed in, it said I had about a 35 minute wait,” Brad Biccum said.
“Eventually it brought me into the buy tickets window, but I noticed pretty much every date was about 60 or 75 per cent sold.
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“But when I went to the date I was looking for … it was impossible to load a ticket. It would say either no seats available or (the tickets) were waiting in someone else’s basket.”
Biccum said he tried every time slot on every day he and his family wanted to go and nothing would work.
“We have gone to the train with our family since they were three … they are 18 now,” he said.
“And with it being down the past few years, we missed it.”
The train has been out of service since September 2022, when it failed an inspection by Technical Safety BC.
Bright Nights is the most important fundraiser for the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. Money raised through the fundraiser is used to help treat burn victims admitted to the burn, trauma, and plastics units at Vancouver General Hospital and BC Children’s Hospital.
A few days ago, Vancouver’s mayor Ken Sims expressed his excitement over the return of the beloved city attraction.
“The Stanley Park train is back. That’s right, it’s back baby,” Sim said in a press conference Monday.
“A year ago we committed to bringing swagger back to the city, and it begins by bringing back events, attractions and the things our community loves and celebrates, and the Stanley Park train has been loved by Vancouverites for generations and it will be once again.”
Global News has learned that only one of the four engines has been fixed so far.
Bright Nights will run from Nov. 30 to Jan. 1. It will display an array of bright luminescent displays, including favourites such as the vintage fire truck and an enchanting tunnel of lights.
Documents obtained by Global News revealed that the safety regulator found a laundry list of problems with the train, back when it was shut down.
Those included one engine leaking oil on a brake lining, one locomotive with brakes that were freezing, and one with a radiator that was overheating.
Portions of the track were rusty and multiple rail ties were found to have rotted with loose rail spikes. Brake issues were identified with every single passenger carriage.
The city said Monday that it was able to get the train up and running in time for the holidays largely due to the help of multiple donors, who together contributed $500,000 of the $650,000 total bill for repairs.
“We don’t live in la-la land,” Sim said.
“Like households across the city we do have financial limitations and limits on our financial resources at the city of Vancouver, and I really don’t know if the train would have made the cut, probably doesn’t happen, without the financial contributions.”
Park board general manager Steve Jackson said that the train will still need to pass a Technical Safety BC inspection on Nov. 27, but that he is confident there would be no issues.
“Our commitment to safety is utmost in this. We wouldn’t be opening if we didn’t feel the train was safe,” he said.
“We’ve got commitment now to keep the train operational. The work we’ve done this year is going to give us hopefully a good runway here, and we’re looking forward to bringing some additional locomotives online next year as we continue to invest in this asset.”
— with files from Simon Little
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