darwink
Senior Member
Capping and waiting is a way to remediate.
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
Morshed
Active Member
I had this idea too when I saw the news about YYC-Banff rail. It's going to make a stop in downtown so might as well build a station similar to Union Station in Toronto. Today City council announced this:
Silence&Motion
Senior Member
Too bad we demolished our station. Although I think I'd probably take the Calgary Tower over this dinky building. Does anyone know what remains of the train station at the base of the tower? There's clearly still platforms along the tracks.
darwink
Senior Member
They didn't announce this.
Jeff Davison made a motion to get some media coverage.
What was passed by city council was this - futher endorsing the project:
Of note, as a rail project, the city doesn't even have land-use power to stop a station and related buildings (courts have previously drawn the line at hotel/office yes, condos no) from being built in any configuration wherever the private proponents want it.
darwink
Senior Member
My impression is the old waiting room, which was judged as too small when it opened, no longer exists. Perhaps as part of the vertigo theatre complex?
Too bad we demolished our station. Although I think I'd probably take the Calgary Tower over this dinky building. Does anyone know what remains of the train station at the base of the tower? There's clearly still platforms along the tracks.
The platforms are wide though at 4.5m. good bones to add a concourse.
Roaring Flames
Senior Member
My biggest question for the existing station location is if there are enough tracks to accommodate CPR freight, trains arriving from both the airport / Banff, and future HSR?
adamyyc
Active Member
I think the surface parking lots on 9 Ave SW between 5 St and 8 St would make a great location for a central station (and surrounding Central Park). Only downfall is it doesn’t intersect the C-train, but it’s not far from 7 Ave SW.
darwink
Senior Member
Yes. CPR is playing ball. Calgary Tower and east are likely best if you want one station since you can viaduct in extra platforms if you really need to, and can put in at least one likely two which is a terminal platform at grade. A western (think 5th and 4th St SW would work for just the airport/Banff line and maybe for HSR. With 4 tracks, there is plenty of capacity if you move yard activities out of the core by paying CPR to build a new one elsewhere.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
Did CPR run a passenger station out of their space on 1st and 9Ave SW? It was very limited as it was the tourist train, but could be renovated to work possibly. The event space in there is pretty cool with the old trains, might make a good tourist trap one day...
Disraeli
Active Member
Doesn't the province already own land around 4th St SE for a future HSR station?
darwink
Senior Member
Only the tourist excursions. It would be possible but you'd need to redevelop the loading docks into taxi stand type things, and see if you can squeeze a bus or two down there, while maintaining services to the towers. Integrate the building lobbies, the CPR shed, turn the loading docks into public facing rather than service facing.
Interestingly, in the late 70s, early 80s, VIA had recognized the Calgary Tower station was inadequate. They wanted to take over the Canada Post site instead (where the Penn West/CPR pavillion is). When Canada Post left the site, VIA wasn't able to get the property transferred, and after a few years Canada Post was using the site again.
outoftheice
Active Member
Ish.... the province technically owns it but Remmington Developments is suing the province and CP Rail as they believe they had first right of refusal for that land and they want either the land back for Railtown or a payout as compensation. It was one of the reasons the Green Line was moved south to 11th because there was no guarantee the lawsuit will be finished before Green Line construction begins
UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
Soil testing for the 2nd Street tunnel.
darwink
Senior Member
That land was secured 15 years ago. When did the lawsuit start?
outoftheice
Active Member
Not sure when it started but the lawsuit has been going on for at least the last 5 years because it was already a concern when Council approved the 10th/12th Beltline alignment back in 2017.