Victoria Park/Stampede Station Rebuild project prepares to switch to new station platform

Important phase in Victoria Park/Stampede Station rebuild to require nine-day closure of Red Line between City Hall/Bow Valley College and Chinook stations, lane closures on northbound Macleod Trail.

As steward of the Rivers District Master Plan, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) is preparing to deliver a major milestone in the 17 Ave S.E. Extension and Victoria Park/Stampede Station Rebuild project next month. This work will require a significant closure of part of the south leg of the Red Line, lane closures on northbound Macleod Trail and replacement shuttle service over a nine-day period.

A critical multi-modal connector in Calgary’s evolving Culture + Entertainment District, the project is opening a new gateway between Stampede Park and the Beltline neighbourhoods to the west and is creating a more modern, accessible and integrated CTrain station.

In October 2022, CMLC and The City of Calgary opened a temporary track and platform at Victoria Park/Stampede Station to maintain transit service through construction. Now, just over a year later, the team is preparing to switch to the new permanent track and station.

After months of evaluating all options for delivering this critical phase of construction, CMLC and The City of Calgary have determined that the safest, most effective, and least disruptive way to complete this important and complex scope of work is a nine-day shutdown of Victoria Park/Stampede Station and part of the Red Line, as well as lane closures on northbound Macleod Trail.

“Building a project of this scale and significance in a constrained right-of-way – between the BMO Centre and Macleod Trail – in the heart of one of the most active destinations for entertainment and cultural programming in the city is very complex,” said Kate Thompson, President and CEO of CMLC. “We and our partners at The City of Calgary have evaluated all possible options to effectively deliver this critical phase of construction and have ultimately determined that the nine-day shutdown of the station and part of the Red Line is the best option to keep this project on schedule, to reduce the risk of unplanned transit disruption, and to mitigate longer-term impacts to the people living, working and playing in downtown Calgary.”

The shutdown is scheduled to take place Friday, November 24 (after rush hour) through Monday, December 4 (before start of CTrain service). As a result, Calgarians can expect:

• Closure of the Red Line between Chinook and City Hall/Bow Valley College stations, with replacement shuttle service for Transit customers.
• Lane closures on northbound Macleod Trail between 25 Ave and 12 Ave S.E.
• Detoured pedestrian access onto Stampede Park from Macleod Trail.
• 24-hour construction activity at the station so the work can be completed as quickly as possible.

“This closure will impact a lot of travelers over the course of the nine days, and we know it will present some significant challenges, including travel delays for Transit riders and drivers,” said Doug Morgan, General Manager of Operational Services. “With big, city-building projects like this one we try to avoid disruptions to Calgarians as much as we can. When we can’t, we will do our best to work with you as we get through the rough spots together. The City and our partners at CMLC are committed to supporting Calgarians through the switch, and we are working together to provide a range of alternative options for customers, drivers and others who may be affected."

Some of the alternatives will include:

Calgary Transit's largest ever replacement shuttle service operation,

Express shuttle service between key south CTrain stations and downtown,

Downtown parking options, and

Alternative combinations of driving and transit.

Full details about replacement shuttle routes, traffic and pedestrian detours, and other considerations will be available in the coming weeks.

“We are grateful to Calgarians for their patience and understanding while we complete this important phase of work to deliver on our shared vision for a bold and vibrant Culture + Entertainment District,” said Morgan. "As a thank you, we are offering a 25% discount on all monthly passes for December."

Over the course of the nine-day shutdown, crews will work 24-hours a day to tie the new tracks to the rest of the line, string overhead power lines to connect the new station to the network, install new track signals at pedestrian crossings, build pedestrian access to the new station, and start demolition of the temporary platforms.

When transit service to Victoria Park/Stampede Station resumes the morning of December 4, transit customers will board and exit the CTrain from the new station. Additional station construction, hardscaping, landscaping and integration to the 17 Ave S.E. Extension will be completed through early 2024, and the project will be substantially completed in alignment with the BMO Centre expansion for Stampede 2024.