City council to finalize Green Line LRT alignment through Calgary’s downtown next week

Calgary's city council is set to finalize next week the alignment of the Green Line LRT through the downtown core, a decision that has raised concerns among local businesses. After two years of debate, a city committee chose a route in mid-March that would see the trains travel east-west at street level from the Event Centre in Victoria Park on 10 Avenue S.W., ending at a station between 1 and 2 Street S.W.

The chosen path was selected as it fit within the project's budget, according to Willem Klumpenhouwer, an independent transit research consultant. Originally, the plan was to run the Green Line through a tunnel under the downtown core, but this concept was abandoned after the province withdrew its $1.5 billion share of funding due to cost overruns.

The revised route, though less expensive, has drawn criticism from local business owners who worry about how the line will affect their operations. Geoff Allan, owner of Bottlescrew Bills, a bar and brewery on the route, has been unable to receive responses from city officials regarding his concerns about parking, deliveries, and train movements.

In response, Bottlescrew Bills has taken action by creating a beer called "Death Sentence" and a game called "Guess Who" featuring city council members and provincial officials. Wendy Tynan, director of the Green Line LRT, stated that the project team will begin setting up meetings with businesses and residents following the council's decision on Tuesday.

Councilmember Nathaniel Schmidt, who proposed an amendment for a "comprehensive public realm, mobility and streetscape" plan, emphasized the importance of addressing the concerns of those directly affected by the new line. The amendment, if approved, will result in a report by early next year detailing improvements to the streetscape and amenities along 10 Avenue.

Currently, six projects are underway along the southeast leg of the Green Line, including a maintenance facility, an elevated guideway over Blackfoot Trail, and a realignment along Ogden Road.