'Much more comfortable': Edmonton officially opens new Stadium LRT Station

For the last 45 years, Stadium LRT Station, built for the Commonwealth Games, has connected Edmonton to one of the city's largest attractions.

It underwent $50 million worth of improvements, giving way to a more open design, meant to give a feeling of space and increased safety.

City officials decided the old station was outdated as one of five original LRT stops that opened in the 1970s.

Now, the work that began in 2020 to change the cramped indoor Stadium LRT Station into an open air outdoor design is now complete.

"The addition of heated shelters, a security office and public washrooms, a new open design canopy roof, new public art installations, benches and furnitures, and updating and relocating the communications and electrical rooms," said Bruce Ferguson with City of Edmonton.

What the station no longer has is indoor nooks and spaces where people not interested in catching a train might stay for long periods.

"And we can’t forget the importance of this station for events at Commonwealth Stadium, like the upcoming Luke Combs concert this weekend, and the Edmonton Elks home opener," said Ward Métis Councillor Ashley Salvador.

Ainsly MacPherson won’t miss the wall-to-wall people confined and crammed into the old indoor space while leaving huge events.

But the accessibility to the inner platform from underneath meant less walking and no interacting with the tracks at either end, as is now the case.

"It’s nicer than the old one, but a little bit inconvenient," she told CTV News Edmonton.

"Getting across the tracks and things like that, it’s a little bit hard to maneuver around, and it can be a little bit dangerous for people crossing across the tracks all the time."

The city has installed advanced crossing arms, flashing lights and bells at each end of the station where people need to cross to catch trains.

On the stadium side, there’s a new platform directly accessible, but it’s only open during concerts or sporting events.

The city is sure people will adapt, saying the design delivers a more open and a more safe future for LRT riders.

"A lot of people felt uncomfortable going down into a concourse and going around corners and then going back upstairs," Ferguson said.

"Definitely, the openness, the ease of access, lots of openness, lots of visibility, and I think people are feeling much more comfortable on this platform."