It’s an idea that has been brought forward a few times in Edmonton, to incorporate a mechanized lift into the river valley – now officials are bringing two possible options to Edmontonians.
At City Hall Wednesday, the City held an open house featuring possible designs for a proposed funicular in the river valley – all in the hopes of making the river valley more accessible.
“An ability for people to get down into the river valley who might have mobility issues, or maybe it’s a mom with a stroller or maybe it’s a cyclist who wants to get into the river valley,” Rob Marchak, Director of Strategic Projects with the City of Edmonton said.
“There’s no user fee to use it, it runs much like an elevator you get into it, you press a button, it goes up it goes down,” Marchak continued.
The idea isn’t new; similar projects have been quashed by City Council, including plans for a funicular or gondola running from Jasper Avenue down 104 Street.
The two designs featured by the City in Wednesday’s open house were both for the north bank, both from the top of McDougall Hill – leading down into the valley.
One is called the West Alignment, and would lead users directly south from 100 Street to a lookout just west of the north end of the Low Level Bridge.
Marchak said city administration would be recommending the other design, called the East Alignment – that design aligns with an existing stairway into the river valley.
“This proposal that we know how actually drops you at the trail system, so it’s uninterrupted access,” Marchak said.
The cost is pegged at $24 million, but other levels of government have agreed to cover two thirds of the cost if it’s built by 2017.
The City has launched an online survey to get a snapshot of how Edmontonians feel about the idea – they’ll ask Councillors for the go-ahead in May.
With files from Nicole Weisberg
