First there was VALTAC and the South Fraser OnTrax, as well as the Fraser Valley Heritage Rail.

Now there is the South of the Fraser Rail Task Force supporting the revival of light rail, Township Mayor Rick Green announced on Monday.

Green told council that he put together the four-person task force, made up of former Township planner Terry Lyster, Peter Holt, of the heritage rail group and Lee Lockwood and Roy Mufford of VALTAC. The group has already had three key meetings with TransLink and several mayors.

“Did council authorize this?” asked Councillor Kim Richter to Green. “Are you approaching this as a citizen or as a mayor?”

“This is not a municipal task force, this is a regional group,” Green replied.

Holt, who spoke for the group at Monday’s Township afternoon meeting, said “speaking as a private citizen group, we hope you will support our vision for Fraser Valley Rail, [using the old Interurban line],” said Holt.

Richter questioned if the members are being paid.

“This is volunteer-based,” said Green.

She quipped that “when it seems to good to be true, it usually is.”

Holt was in front of council asking for support and for a member of council to join the group.

Councillor Jordan Bateman volunteered, with Councillor Steve Ferguson asking to be the alternate.

“In 2010, the Fraser Valley will be one million people. Buses alone ain’t going to get it done,” said Holt.

Using the interurban line would connect students to the respective valley universities, including Trinity Western and Kwantlen, he said. The train can also be used as a vehicle to move goods, he said.

“I’ve spoken to FedEx and they are very interested in getting packages out there and using the baggage carts to move urban freight,” said Holt.

He said the rail bed and tracks are ready to to go.

Richter questioned if the interurban is the right direction to go.

“VALTAC came here many times asking to be endorsed. We never did it. Now you are asking to be endorsed,” she said.

But Bateman said council has already come out in favour of the Interurban line so this is a step in the right direction.

Bateman said the key is getting the entire south of the Fraser municipalities wanting the same thing if action by the provincial government is to happen.

“In speaking to Kevin Falcon (prior transportation minister), he said that is what his government is looking for.”

The new task force wants to have a demonstration rail line, the current proposal being from Newton to Gloucester.

“The point is to move people within the Fraser Valley, not out to Vancouver like the West Coast Express.”