Calgary Transit crews will be working over the long weekend on maintenance of LRT tracks and stations in and around downtown Calgary, including significant work at the Victoria Park/Stampede Station. The station is being shut down by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) as part of a $128-million project that includes the 17th Avenue extension onto the Stampede grounds.
Clare LePan, vice president of communications and strategic partnerships for CMLC, said the closures will start Saturday at 2 a.m. and are expected to finish Tuesday at 4 a.m.
“We will have a long weekend closure at the station and it’s also part of a larger closure through Calgary Transit with some track work and updates that are happening along Seventh Avenue,” LePan said.
CMLC crews will work around the clock to get as much work done as possible, she added, including track work, concrete work around pedestrian areas, and work on the station’s canopy and oculus.
CTrain rider Julian Wardassko said despite the ongoing construction, it’s clear the new at-grade station is already an improvement.
“I am quite excited actually, this one seems to work better than compared to some other stations. It’s developing pretty interestingly. I am looking forward to it opening.”
Brendan Harty said he also likes the new station, but he’s also eager for the opening of the 17th Avenue extension.
“I’ve been here after Flames games and there is a lot going on. They corral everybody in one little spot. I am looking forward to that for sure.”
LePan said the work is progressing, but earlier plans to have everything completed in time for the Stampede in July are no longer possible.
“We always planned a completion of the station to coordinate as closely as possible to the BMO Centre expansion. It is progressing — we will see construction through the summer of this year, and we will have a completion later this summer of the station as well as the opening of that extension.”
The $500-million expansion of the BMO Centre is expected to be ready by June 5, and the new Spirit of Water sculpture was having its finishing touches applied Thursday. Artist Gerry Judah will join CMLC and the Calgary Stampede for a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 22.
