Vancouver Says Final Goodbyes to Olympic Line

“Welcome aboard! We’re just about to leave,” says an Olympic Line worker, as a senior couple boards the streetcar from Granville Island to the Olympic Village.

The smiling worker waits at the door for the couple to enter, and then hops onto the streetcar with a laugh, just seconds before the doors closes and the train begins to move.

As the passengers settle into their seats,  conversations about the Olympic Line immediately begin.

“How long will the train be here?” says one passenger to the driver of the streetcar.

“Just another week or so, and it’s gone,” says the driver, who later explains to the passengers that the route once had the possibility of expanding as far as the VCC-Clark SkyTrain Station, through old railway tracks scattered throughout the city. The plan for expanding the system did not succeed however, and the Olympic Line will close March 21.

The streetcar, which was imported from Belgium, was brought to Vancouver to provide free public transportation from the Olympic Village to Granville Island during the Games. After the line gained popularity, the province asked the federal government for additional funding to keep the system in Vancouver, but funding was not provided and the streetcar will be returning to Belgium.

As the streetcar makes its way to the Olympic Village, one passenger can’t help but be disappointed that the Olympic Line will be out of service soon.

“It definitely should be a permanent part of the transit system,” says Jennifer Kerr, who is making her third trip on the train. “I don’t know how much it costs to run, I’m sure it’s a lot, but I think it would add some class to Vancouver. I love it. It’s a beautiful train.”

Kerr says that the Olympic Line streetcar has great access to Vancouver's various bus systems and the SkyTrain, and is very convenient for many people traveling in the area.

As the line arrives at the Olympic Village and passengers shuffle out of the streetcar, one passenger thanks transit staff for the ride.

“Enjoy it while you can” says a tall, dark haired, male employee.