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Known officially as the Mechanized River Valley Access (MRVA) Project, progress at the site of Edmonton's river valley funicular has been moving along nicely since construction began in the spring, with recent photos revealing the project's size and scope, along with its visual impact on the surrounding urban context.
Currently under construction for a predicted cost of $24 million CAD, of which the City of Edmonton is on the hook for $550,000, the funicular will serve to connect downtown Edmonton to the shores of the North Saskatchewan River. The underutilized ravine system's potential as a natural urban refuge will be partially unlocked following MRVA completion in late 2017.
Designed by Canadian firm Dialog Architects, the MRVA will consist of several key elements, including a variety of fully accessible options for ascending and descending the ravine, which will combine stairs, elevators, and the central funicular portion. This should ease passage from downtown Edmonton to the shores of the North Saskatchewan River, all while providing breathtaking views of the surrounding cityscape and valley.
Part of a larger $72 million investment in public infrastructure funded primarily by the Federal Government's Building Canada Fund, the MRVA is the first in a series of interventions listed among the River Valley Alliance (RVA) Capital Project. Eventually several smaller projects will be carried out along the North Saskatchewan River Valley outside of Edmonton in more rural areas which share access to the same ravine system.
Pictured above, the MRVA will start at the base of the historic Fairmont Macdonald before descending into the ravine via the fully accessible series of elevators, pathways, and funicular cars, passing over a mixture of forested parkland and roadways, before terminating at a river lookout platform at the foot of a large pedestrian bridge built atop Gibson Hill Road.
Below, a recent construction photo reveals the progress being made on the MRVA's centrepiece funicular track, alongside of which the beginnings of the adjacent footpath and staircase can be seen. The funicular will offer a single glass box-type car, which will be able to carry up to 20 passengers at a time, with ample room for wheelchairs, strollers, and other mobility devices.
Once at the bottom, the MRVA will terminate at the river's edge with a large glass-fronted lookout platform that provides visitors with sweeping vistas of the North Saskatchewan River. Ample seating will be provided from the base of the elevator to the water's edge, allowing one to take a seat and enjoy the view before heading back up the ravine.
Once complete, the MRVA will transform Edmonton's public realm, serving to reconnect the city to its ravine system in a meaningful way and bringing locals in touch with the natural beauty of the North Saskatchewan River. With visions of Manhattan's High Line bandied about during its initial planning stages, it is the hope of the project's many supporters that the MRVA will do for Edmonton what the High Line did for New York, bringing attention to one of the city's most undervalued natural assets.
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this exciting, transformative project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
