Calgary mayor invites premier, transportation minister to tour proposed downtown Green Line location

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Calgary’s mayor has invited Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen to walk through downtown to view the proposed location of the elevated Green Line LRT.

In a statement Tuesday, Jyoti Gondek said she extended the invitation in a letter, with the hopes of showing her provincial colleagues the “potential impacts firsthand.”

“This initiative is crucial as it will allow us to see firsthand the potential impacts of the proposed elevated line on our community. And it will be the first step in this important engagement process,” Gondek said in the statement.

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“We look forward to finally seeing construction start this year on the Green Line after a decade of delay,” Dreeshen said in an emailed statement.

“Regarding the downtown alignment, there is more than a year’s worth of detailed design work that needs to be done. Local concerns regarding the downtown alignment will be carefully considered and resolved during that time.”

In a follow-up statement, Dreeshen said the mayor’s invite has been received and is under consideration.

Last week, city council approved the province’s plan for the Green Line, which would see construction begin in south Calgary while a full downtown design plan is worked on.

That downtown design process would include consultation on the potential concerns an elevated track could create with local businesses and stakeholders.

The mayor voted against the plan last week, accusing the province of being overlords of the project.

She cited concerns from business groups and people living in the Beltline for why she is not in favour of an elevated track.

“Our businesses and residents have expressed significant concerns about how an elevated line could fundamentally change the landscape of our downtown,” Gondek said.

“From altering the character of our public spaces to affecting the safety and flow of traffic to the economic and social well-being of building tenants—these are issues we cannot ignore.”

The province estimates the first phase of the Green Line could cost $6.2 billion, but Calgary officials say they’ve identified at least $1.3 billion in additional costs the city will have to cover.

Major construction on the track from Shepard to Victoria Park could start as early as this spring, while construction downtown could begin in 2027 after a “functional plan” is completed.

That “functional plan” would include design work, a cost estimate, engagement with stakeholders and studies to understand the impact an elevated track would have on property assessments and traffic.

With files from CTV News Calgary’s Jordan Kanygin