Community bus trips set to begin this month in Addington Highlands

Craig Bakay | Nov 08, 2019

Land O’Lakes Community Services’ new Community Bus service is set to roll out Nov. 28 with a Belleville trip taking in the Quinte Mall and the Walmart Supercentre/Giant Tiger.

That will be followed up Dec. 5 with a trip to Renfrew (Walmart Supercentre/Canadian Tire, the Flamingo Restaurant and No Frills/Giant Tiger/Dollarama and a trip to the Cataraqui Centre and Walmart Supercentre in Kingston Dec. 19.

“It’s mostly shopping trips at this point, what with Christmas coming,” said Katie Turl, Land O’Lakes community bus Coordinator. “But there will be other excursions in the future (ie fall colours, casino trip, theatre trips).

“I think it’s a great program and I hope everyone jumps on.”

Turl said she’s been busily attending meetings and community groups to get a sense of what sort of excursions people would be interested in.

“It’s been pretty well welcomed,” she said. “A lot of people have been telling me they used to have a similar program many years ago and it used to be great.”

The pickup route generally begins in Denbigh (around 7:30 a.m.) and continues on through Cloyne, Northbrook, Flinton and Kaladar. There is also a Griffith pickup scheduled for the Renfrew trip.

The cost is $20 per trip (children are cheaper) and “open to anyone” but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

“There’s no borders,” Turl said. “For example, we expect there will be a lot of riders from North Frontenac, particularly Ward 1.

“You can’t pick up someone from one side of the highway in Cloyne but not the other.”

Similarly, while the destinations are pre-determined, there’s nothing to say that once you get there you have to stay there.

“If someone wants to go to Belleville to a doctor’s appointment or to meet friends for lunch, that’s up to them,” she said. “We’d just like to know where they’re going but as long as they’re back for departure time, that’s fine.”

She said they’re looking at getting people back to Denbigh around 5:30 p.m.

“These first few trips will be a learning curve,” she said.

The buses themselves come from Steve Dunham Transportation out of Ompah.

“Steve’s been a running school buses a long time and knows the routes around the area,” she said. “And yes, they’ll be school buses, not coaches.”

Funding for the program comes from Land O’Lakes Community Services with the Ministry of Transport “helping to subsidize,” she said. “The Township of Addington Highlands was a big part of this.

“(CAO/Clerk-Treasurer) Christine Reed put it all together.”

Reed said LOLCS approached the Township to make the grant application because only certain organizations (such as a municipality) are eligible.

“And the Township budgeted $2,000 annually for five years towards the project,” Reed said. “It’s not a large financial contribution but we are partnering and these applications tend to be looked on more favourably if there is financial support from the municipality.”

All trips are dependent on road conditions, she said and they do ask that you book your trip three days in advance.

To book a trip or for more information, contact Land O’Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934, toll-free at 1-877-679-6636 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..