Why and old double-decker bus?
...The Road to a Vehicle...
Matthew Didier, one of the chairs of PSICAN is a "bus enthusiast". Yeah, I know, it sounds like he's hoping to blend things, but bear with the story...
While looking to find a bus to purchase himself, he came across a story in a newspaper (click here to read it) in California about three buses... the three buses are "Regent Low Height" models... which are "legal" in Canada without being considered "Oversized"... yet still maintain the aesthetic of a traditional old English double-decker.
If you'd like to learn more about Regent Low Height buses, please click here and visit the RLH Information Centre... a great site about these rare buses... or, you can keep reading along with this story...
Well, he called the gentleman in the ad who said that indeed, he has the three buses, but will only sell them as a "set"... he also said that despite the article talking about a "donation" to a good cause, what he meant was he felt recouping his own shipping fees for the buses ($15,000.00 USD per bus) was a "donation"... What can you do, some people's definition of donation is a little different than other's...
Once this fellow was told what Matthew's plans were for the buses, (Matthew, when hearing this fellow's wish to only sell the buses in a "lot", thought on his feet and realised that there were two groups that could benefit from a bus... PSICAN is one and another called IMUC or "The Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada", a group of War of 1812 Re-Enactors in Ontario,) he said he'd sell the buses THREE for the "price" of TWO... meaning, instead of $45,000.00... it would only be $30,000.00 USD for the purchase.
So, with that in mind, Matthew asked the secretary of IMUC and the board of his own group... and yes, if he acquires them, they'd accept them.
Contacting some fellow enthusiasts in California, Matthew then found that the price to ship each bus to Toronto would be roughly $7,000.00 USD per bus... or $21,000.00 USD total...
Now, Matthew will be the first to cry "Personal Poverty!" and admit he can't afford the one bus... but with a "Three for the price of Two", he is hoping to receive help or ideas to get all three buses... one for IMUC, one of course for PSICAN, and one for himself and his family... sort of a "finders fee" if you will...
Now, the real question... WHY WOULD THESE GROUPS WANT A BUS?!?!
PSICAN would use it as a mobile office, meeting place, and a "walk in" mobile centre when at conventions and whatnot. PSICAN has also adopted one of the buses already as an "emblem" for their PSICAN for Kids section... a sort-of kid-friendly icon for their kid's section.
That last part is weird, eh? I mean, why a BUS when a cartoon ghost or a silly-looking UFO or alien... possibly even a funny-looking bigfoot creature seems like a more natural fit!
AHA! There in lies the thing...
PSICAN is a very serious organisation that take the study of these things with a very serious attitude... and they realised that using a "character" like a cartoonish-paranormal thing says that they DON'T take things seriously... so, they've adopted one of these old buses as their own already.
As for IMUC, Matthew can't say... but it seems like a natural fit... a bunch of period British soldiers (War of 1812) and a period British bus! When speaking to the secretary of the group, terms like "Troop Transport" and "Mobile Storage Facility" came up... and may be what it finds use as. You can bet that they will be proud of their RLH.
So now you know why... There's more detail as to why PSICAN is using the bus available via the menu under Kid Friendly? Walk in? Hunh? What are our plans...
|
