Briefly: Another cancellation at the Stanley Park Railway. This time, it only lasted one night.
Bob Mackin
Officials announced on X, formerly Twitter, at 5:34 p.m. on Dec. 6 that the train was “temporarily out of service and will not be running for the rest of the evening.”
Stanley Park train (Facebook)
“Any ticket holders with tickets for 4:40 p.m. onwards will be refunded by Showpass via the method of purchase. We apologize for impacting your holiday plans.”
At 9:37 a.m. on Dec. 7, officials announced the issue had been resolved and the train would roll again.
What happened? A City of Vancouver spokesperson originally called it a “minor operational incident.” Pressed further, Angela MacKenzie explained.
“An art display fell onto the tracks during service, which caused the train to stop. As a result, service was stopped to allow staff to carry out safety checks,” said MacKenzie, the associate director of civic engagement and communications.
On Good Friday in 2023, a train derailed. It took a freedom of information request to confirm it had derailed, because officials decided to not use that word in their communication to the public.
FOI documents also shed light on the summer and fall 2022 troubles that led to cancellation of the Hallowe’en and Christmas promotions.
The 2024 version of Bright Nights in Stanley Park continues through Jan. 4. Though tickets for the miniature train excursions are sold out, the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund continues to host the dazzling admission-by-donation Christmas lights display at the railway plaza.
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