The ERR system has GOT to be upgraded to a year-'round system -- it neatly connects to the Gondoproject and the Grandin LRT station (with a few modifications). The pieces are there, we just have to support the putting-them-in-place.
I said this before and I don't want to sound like a broken record, but this I'd important to clarify. The ERR doesn't need "upgrading" to move to a 7 day-a-week model. In fact, some upgrades can't be done (like using modern rolling stock) since this is a "living museum". The reason why people from around the world visit the streetcars is because of their historic charm, and the reason why the volunteers do what we do is because we want to share the story of Edmonton's first public transit service.
Impediments to service expansion can be divided between the summer and winter seasons. In the summer, the largest impediment is trained manpower. They hold themselves to very high standards, and are regulated by the Alberta Streetcars Act. Motormen are taught at Fort Edmonton Park starting in May, when the park is still closed. After the instructor is satisfied with their progress (usually after 4-8 sessions I belive), they must pass an online test and be certified by the head of training through one (hopefully) final run at Fort Ed. And even after that, they're only allowed to operate at Fort Edmonton Park. After they achieve 40 hours of service at Fort Edmonton Park, they are given the opportunity to be tested on the High Level Bridge line (which is more complex due to the amount of vehicle traffic encountered).
No training could take place during FEP's 3-year renovation, and then in 2020 it had to start late (in June or July) because access to the park was delayed by Covid. So between the halt on training and the significant threat to older motormen posed by Covid, there is a huge shortage of people who are qualified to operate on the HLB line. Service used to be 7 days per week in the summer, but last year it was only 3-4 days per week. Things are starting to look up, as we had a lot of new members join in the past few months, but we're not out of the woods yet. So I can't emphasize this enough for everyone:
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RAILWAYS AND/OR HISTORY AND HAVE TIME TO SPARE, VOLUNTEER FOR THEM!! You can DM me for more details.
As for the winter months, there isn't enough rider interest, and the service couldn't be frequent enough to keep the tracks clear. Snow would be a constant problem, and ice would build up in the flangeways (gaps between the tracks and road at crossings) right after they get cleared.
And trust me, I'd love to see the ERRS expand. I want it to have a strong future here. But it's volunteer-ran, and that inherently limits what they can take on at once. Between the barn expansion at Fort Ed, polishing the HLB service now that the Whyte Ave extension is complete, setting up archival management software since they have proper archival space now, planning service delivery during covid, restoring 100+ year old streetcars, etc. They have a full plate. If you want to help them, please volunteer or donate, because that's what they need more than anything right now.
I'm not saying 7 day a week, 365 day a year service could never happen. But before we talk about expanding service beyond their current range, we need to make sure that their service within the current range is as good as it can be.
