Chatham-Kent Council has asked staff to look into the feasibility of allowing youths to ride seasonal beach buses for free.
Some council members were concerned the move wouldn't be economically possible. But Councillor Trevor Thompson says the end goal is to build up ridership. "When you go to Crabby Joe's or another restaurant in town, sometimes kids eat free with a paying adult. It brings more people in. It gets more people on the bus to Mitchell's Bay and Erieau where people can spend more money."
Last year, 1,506 people rode the seasonal beach buses, which run every weekend in the summer until Labour Day.
Concerns were also raised regarding what range of ages the free pass would cover. Thompson adds that's something staff can look at when considering their report.
