Nuxalk Nation, located in the Bella Coola Valley, will use the Vision Zero Grant to build the community’s first bus stop shelter. A new transportation agreement with School District #49 includes a bus route through both communities in Nuxalk. The shelter will provide a visible and protected location for children and youth who use this service. This project aligns with the community’s strategic plan to increase health and safety measures for all ages, and will be a flagship project for other bus shelters in the area.
Our community has seen substantial population growth, creating a need for additional community infrastructure for members to access. The primary objective of our project is to build both a safe and visible structure - a transportation pick-up/drop-off shelter - to protect our community members from the elements of vehicle road hazards, weather, wildlife, and hours of darkness. Our rural/remote coastal region is home to active grizzly bears, intense storms of rain/snow, and physical surroundings that yield poor driving visibility throughout the year. We have two communities approximately 5 km apart; this first shelter will set the planning and direction for additional shelters to be built throughout our populated reserves.
This project aligns with our community’s shared safety interests with our local public School District #49 Central Coast (K-12) and Nuxalk Acwsalcmalslayc Academy of Learning (NAALS, our Band school K-12). More so, this project coincides with our community’s strategic plan to increase health and safety measures capacity for all ages. Modelling the importance of road safety to our youth is one of the long-term impacts our community wishes to convey. Our youths will be future drivers, and with our key stakeholders being the public school district and NAALS, this is a natural teachable moment that we plan to leverage school programs and services in this capacity. If we can lead, model, and sustain road safety in our community, the outcomes will be abundant and priceless at all levels.
