I remember that. We were getting 1.5 billion from the feds, 1.5 billion from our $52 million/year health region rebate (or whatever it was), and assuming 1.5 billion would come from the province. We wouldn't need the SETWAY - for that kind of money, we could just build the whole line as LRT, all at once. And it would open by 2026. I was super excited.
Green Line LRT | ?m | ?s | Calgary Transit
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
YYCguy
Active Member
And I thought Toronto was bad for how long it took to get transit projects built and operating! This is frustrating for sure!
FCC1982
Active Member
What improved public realm ?
By adding a bloody street car ?
whatchyyc
Active Member
Streetscape Master Plan for Centre Street North | Green Line Stage One
We are creating a streetscape master plan for Centre Street North between 18 Avenue North to the north end of the Centre Street Bridge.
engage.calgary.ca
Pathway change at Stoney Trail. The path now goes west and winds around back to the river crossing.
YYCguy
Active Member
Oh good grief! Here we go again! 
Whipping Calgarians up into a frenzy. From what I understand, significant changes to the plan would require a resubmission to the government for funds reconsideration and might risk losing what we’ve already been promised! Tinkering with the plan at this point would be risky!
Eva Ferguson
Published Jul 27, 2023
Members of a citizens group demanding the city change plans on the multibillion-dollar Green Line LRT project say they’re building momentum with more than 750 supporters, a professional new website and plans for a possible petition this fall.
The Ad Hoc Citizens Committee to Rethink the Green Line fears taxpayers could end up paying more than the already massive $5.5-billion price tag, arguing that Phase 1 need not include underground tunnelling to Eau Claire, and should extend beyond Shepard to Seton, where new riders are guaranteed.
calgaryherald.com
Whipping Calgarians up into a frenzy. From what I understand, significant changes to the plan would require a resubmission to the government for funds reconsideration and might risk losing what we’ve already been promised! Tinkering with the plan at this point would be risky! Citizens group gaining momentum to 'rethink' Green Line construction
Work is already underway this summer to relocate utilities between existing 7th Avenue lines and the Green Line's new Eau Claire StationEva Ferguson
Published Jul 27, 2023
Members of a citizens group demanding the city change plans on the multibillion-dollar Green Line LRT project say they’re building momentum with more than 750 supporters, a professional new website and plans for a possible petition this fall.
The Ad Hoc Citizens Committee to Rethink the Green Line fears taxpayers could end up paying more than the already massive $5.5-billion price tag, arguing that Phase 1 need not include underground tunnelling to Eau Claire, and should extend beyond Shepard to Seton, where new riders are guaranteed.
Citizens group gaining momentum to 'rethink' Green Line construction
An adhoc citizens group, with well known philanthropists like Jim Gray and W. Brett Wilson, are demanding the city rethink the Green Line.
calgaryherald.com
trtcttc
Senior Member
It's a bit disingenuous to use the "5.5 billion price tag". We're footing only about $2 billion of that, and it's not like if we cancel the Green Line the federal and provincial government would simply give us those funds to do something else. These "concerned taxpayers" really ought to think of this as getting $3 billion for free. I feel like they're gearing up to put up a fight when it inevitably comes back that $5.5 billion won't be enough to get stage 1 done. Then we'll spend a long time debating it while the cost just keeps going up... like the Event Centre.
Colinfill
Active Member
I just hate the Herald (Post media) keeps giving an outlet for these voices.
750 supporters is hardly worthy of a news article. But of course, the president is a former oil exec so his opinion must be upheld as being more important than elected officials, city planners, and the interest of the general population.
750 supporters is hardly worthy of a news article. But of course, the president is a former oil exec so his opinion must be upheld as being more important than elected officials, city planners, and the interest of the general population.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
I always find it interest how easy it is to get into the Herald for this group and to have such a positive slant on their efforts.
Headline includes a non-neutral "group gaining momentum", Jim Gray is always a "philanthropist", several paragraphs are granted to a communication's "expert" who is clearly an expert in issues of transit costs, design and procurement complexities. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, just interesting which voices get regular coverage on this and which don't. This is what, the 20th article by this same group over the past 5 years?
And all this is just from the media side, their actual transit solution is terrible and does the opposite of their stated goals.
If we want to waste money on transit and relegate transit to irrelevance to more people's lives, making a lower-quality, slower, less competitive, and more prone to failure city centre section is the way to do it.
Headline includes a non-neutral "group gaining momentum", Jim Gray is always a "philanthropist", several paragraphs are granted to a communication's "expert" who is clearly an expert in issues of transit costs, design and procurement complexities. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, just interesting which voices get regular coverage on this and which don't. This is what, the 20th article by this same group over the past 5 years?
And all this is just from the media side, their actual transit solution is terrible and does the opposite of their stated goals.
If we want to waste money on transit and relegate transit to irrelevance to more people's lives, making a lower-quality, slower, less competitive, and more prone to failure city centre section is the way to do it.
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I think the Herald has figured out their market is former Sun readers and tries to cater to them. Most analytical minded people have moved on from them and on to multiple types of other media.
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FCC1982
Active Member
I heard Jim Grey spouting off about this on the radio today - so frustrating. Doesn’t want any tunnelling, even under the CPR tracks.
As was mentioned, everyone has a right to their opinion, but why is this idiotic idea getting media attention ?
As was mentioned, everyone has a right to their opinion, but why is this idiotic idea getting media attention ?
CBBarnett
Senior Member
it’s like an anti-tunnel obsession - or he has shares in a company that can’t qualify for tunnel subcontracts to the consortium.
What would be more interesting is if this group attacked the elephant in the room around transit project cost escalation overall in Canada - the problem isn’t that it’s too expensive and therefore we should built lower quality transit to fit the budget, it’s that the necessary quality of transit a major city needs can’t seem to be built quickly, affordability and repeatedly in most Canadian cities.
Lowering the quality of the Green Line as this group proposes does not create greater value. Figuring out how to improve the green line (and all transit for that matter) so it’s faster, more competitive, and more resilient is where the energy should be placed.
For example, This group should come out hard to lobby to upzone the entire SE to mid rise densities and reject all car infrastructure investments along the corridor if they are concerned about ridership, the business case for transit, and tax payer risks.
ahuch
Active Member
My favorite part is when you have a rich oilman representing a "citizens" group 
trtcttc
Senior Member
I don’t really understand why people bother opposing the project. Do they have other priorities they want to spend the funds on? They also argue it’s a train to nowhere, but that’s part of the purpose of the project, that ”no where” can get TOD without constant opposition from homeowners and become somewhere.
My opinion, is just spend the money and do this properly. It's a one time cost, and once it's done there won't be need for a new line any time soon. Most most areas of the city covered by rail transit and the city can start start leveraging the 3 lines by buildings TODs around them.