No more overpass; City exploring Victoria Park LRT revamp

Possible designs for a new Victoria Park-Stampede Station were presented to a City Council committee and they include tearing down the pedestrian overpass for a grade level route and opening up the space leading to the Stampede grounds and future entertainment district.

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — It’s an iconic, albeit sometimes frustrating, entrance and exit to Stampede Park.

Flanked by a winding ramp on the west side of Macleod Trail and narrow staircases on the east, with a long overpass connecting them, the Victoria Park LRT station can be a struggle to get into — even for able-bodied people on a quiet day.

But Calgary City Council has now begun exploring an ambitious plan to tear it all down and make way for a ground level station.

“It’s terrible,” said Ward 11 Councillor Jeromy Farkas, in reference to the current setup, following discussion at the Transportation and Transit committee meeting.

He said a renovation could solve some social disorder concerns and also make it more accessible.

“So a key thing is around sightlines. You want to make sure that when people are at the station waiting for a train that they can do so safely and if there are other issues that they can actually have that ability to go for help,” said Farkas. “Other things like in terms of hiding spots, lighting, there’s a lot more that we can do to make sure that these stations are functional but are also welcoming.”

Farkas said they do have to consider concerns from the visually impaired community, though, as there have been some worries about obstacles posed by ground-level crossings — such as at Chinook Station.

Along with tearing down the overpass, 17th Avenue would also be extended, to recreate an entrance to the park for drivers.

“It allows for the Stampede again to have its grand entrance. So it used to be, before the LRT came in, it was the main entrance — it was the welcoming point for the community. And when the LRT was built it was sort of the community turning its back to it,” added Farkas.

Farkas also believes this can help spur further investment in the area.

There will be problems of course, including the fact construction would force the station to stay closed for months on end — possibly beginning after Stampede 2020.

Also, city officials predict there will be longer lineups at the 17th Avenue intersection after completion, as there will be more time allowed for pedestrians to cross — especially on busy days like a Flames game or during Stampede.

But Farkas also acknowledges that Victoria Park is not the only station needing a bit of love, as Erlton Station is overdue for an upgrade.

“That Erlton Station is just the worst intersection in Calgary. We need to take a look at these two stations in tandem so that we aren’t just causing more traffic snarls down the road.”

This plan is still in very early stages, as the rest of council now needs to examine the plan.

But Farkas is hopeful, and thinks the impact can be minimized.

“As long as we’re thoughtful about when and where we roll out the construction and we have everyone in the same room from time to time, in terms of what the staging and the rollout is that we can do this in a positive way.”

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