Construction begins on new Victoria Park/Stampede LRT station
Posted Jul 22, 2021 8:59 am.
Last Updated Jul 22, 2021 2:14 pm.
CALGARY – Construction is set to being after a groundbreaking Thursday on the Victoria Park/Stampede LRT station rebuild and 17 Avenue extension.
The Stampede station is getting a total overhaul and a transit extension is being created at the spot where 17 Ave. connects with the Stampede grounds as a part of the city’s Rivers District Master Plan.
CMLC with Calgary Transit and the Calgary Stampede were on hand to announce the overhaul of Victoria Park/Stampede LRT station and 17th Ave SE extension. Once completed vehicle traffic and pedestrians will be able to drive/walk onto the park via 17th. @660NEWS @citynewscalgary pic.twitter.com/HwoVRwdTnI
— Nick Blakeney (@CameraGuyNick) July 22, 2021
Over the next few months, construction crews will be taking down all the staircases to the Victoria Park station on Macleod trail and will be creating street-level crossings that will be more accessible to Calgarians with mobility issues.
A temporary transit station will be created in its place while crews renovate, and periodic lane closures on Macleod Trail will take place on and off so work can be done on the project.
“This infrastructure project is well aligned with Calgary Transit’s ongoing work to improve accessibility across our system,” said Chris Jordan, Calgary Transit’s Service Design Manager, in a release.
“When it’s complete, customers will benefit from a shorter approach to the platforms which may reduce commute times.”
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The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) is also managing the construction of the 17 Ave. extension, which will serve as a new pedestrian and vehicle corridor linking either side of Macleod Trail.
Jim Laurendeau, Vice President of Park Planning and Development with Calgary Stampede, says a better corridor in that spot has been needed for a long time.
“Attendees will soon have another option for accessing the park. Not only that, it opens up Stampede Park to the west, providing better access for our neighbours in the Beltline and beyond,” he said.
Construction on the LRT station is expected to wrap in 2023 and the 17 Ave. extension is expected to finish around the same time as the BMO centre expansion, which is slated for 2024.
