Ladner Ferry

In the early 1890s, the Union Steamship S.S Eliza Edwards provided a daily Vancouver-Steveston-Ladner's Landing run.[1] The Vancouver and Lulu Island Railway proposal included a connecting ferry to Ladner[2] that never eventuated. During 1898–1900, the three times weekly CP Navigation Victoria-New Westminster schedule included Lulu Island and Ladner.[3] The 45-passenger Sonoma[4] ran twice daily Ladner-Steveston during 1905–1909.[5] The replacement vessel from the 1910 summer, the New Delta,[6] ran the route[7] three times daily in the spring/summer, and twice daily in the fall/winter, until April 1914.[8] However, dangerous ice floes sometimes temporarily cancelled services.[9]

Maintaining the Steveston run, the New Delta conducted a three-times-daily trial during April and May 1912 between Ladner and Woodward's Landing (south end of No. 5 Road, Richmond).[10] In January 1913, the Scanlon (Helen M. Scanlon), pulling a barge, made the crossing in 20 minutes, while conducting a trial run for a government ferry service.[11] During 1913, piles were driven for the new temporary Ladner dock,[12] and the province and municipalities upgraded or built the approach and connecting roads on both sides.[13]

Strategic to their proposed Lulu Island branch line, the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR), specified a Steveston terminal for their planned Vancouver Island ferry service. Revised to Woodward's Landing, CNoR acquired 250 acres for five miles of siding and a three-track slip capable of handling the largest ferries (150 feet).[14] The CNoR dock never eventuated after the demise of the railway.

In November 1913, the Scanlon, with its barge in tow, established the Ladner-Woodward's Landing government ferry service. The boat carried the passengers and the barge transported vehicles and livestock. A bus along No. 5 Road from Vancouver connected with the four daily sailings.[15] That December, when the ferry struck a sand bar in heavy fog, damaging the paddlewheel, the trip across took four hours and the bus ran out of fuel, stranding the passengers at Woodward's Landing.[16] Owing to the deplorable winter road conditions, the bus could take an hour to cover the 8 kilometres (5 mi) across Richmond.[17] In April 1914, the Sonoma returned to the Ladner-Steveston route,[18] but it is unclear when this service ceased.

Purchasing the privately owned Scanlon (later renamed the William Henry Ladner),[7] the government began a two-month refit of the vessel. Meanwhile, the smaller tug Linda took its place. The remodelled ferry no longer needed to tow a barge, and the faster turnaround increased service to six times daily.[19] However, the bus connection covered only four sailings,[20] until increasing to six, two months later. At this time, oiling the gravel sections, and planking the remainder of No. 5 Road, allowed a faster more comfortable bus ride.[21] Purchased in March 1918 for $10,000, the larger Beaver[22] underwent a $40,000 complete overhaul, before replacing the former ferry in July 1919.[23] The vessel unsuited to heavy traffic, because it loaded from the sides, increasing the risk of damage to vehicles,[24] was replaced in 1926–27.[25] Winter ice floes and spring flooding, which made navigation hazardous, prompted proposals for a permanent Deas Island crossing.

Derelict former ferry dock, Ladner, 2005

The Ladner terminal moved twice.[7] During 1920–21, construction costed $15,748.[26] The landing and paved Ferry Road cost $80,000, but on opening in 1931 the crossing time reduced to 10 minutes.[27] When tendered in 1932, three bids required no subsidy to operate the ferry, while Mr. Robson, the private operator for the prior six years, offered to pay $1,800 per annum. The province was responsible for supplying an appropriate vessel.[28] The Ladner-Woodwards No. 3. failed its federal inspection. The MS Agassiz, the replacement in November 1932, had only half the carrying capacity.[29][30] The province reimbursed losses being sustained by operator Leonard M. Robson, due to these serious deficiencies.[7]

The bitumen surfacing of No. 5 Rd during 1935–36 provided continuous pavement from the ferry to Vancouver.[31] In 1936, additional summer sailings were introduced.[32] The landing and approach at Woodward's Landing received extensive maintenance in 1940-41.[33] The Ladner landing, on a side channel, experienced ongoing silting that required periodical dredging,[31][34][35] and at times grounded the ferry in mid-summer.[36] To address this issue, the landing was extended into the main channel during 1947-48.[37][38]

Permanent replacement, the Delta Princess with a speed of 12 knots, entered service in 1949.[39] The new steel hull double-ended twin-screw ferry had a capacity for 35 cars and 200 passengers.[40]

A new landing at Woodward's Landing was built throughout 1952–53.[41][42] In November 1952, the charter contract ceased and the province assumed operations.[43] A 24-hour service was instituted from 1954.[44] Scouring at the Ladner landing caused a collapse on the extension,[45] and its relocation.[46] At peak times, the ferry could make five round trips in two hours.[47] On the George Massey Tunnel opening, the Delta Princess made the final run on May 23, 1959.[7] Acquired by the Gulf Island Ferry Co.,[48] it was later renamed MV Saltspring Queen by BC Ferries.

Various images.[49]

^a . Extracted from the respective Ministry of Public Works annual reports.

^b . Extracted from the respective Ministry of Public Works or Ministry of Highways annual reports. Although some figures appear suspect, the overall trend is clear.

• List of crossings of the Fraser River

• "The Delta Times". www.open.library.ubc.ca.
• "The Daily Colonist". www.archive.org.