On South Campus/Fort Edmonton Station Renaming
I’m not writing this to question the wisdom of my colleagues who sit on Executive Committee, but given the significant negative feedback I’m receiving from the public on their decision, I wanted to make my position clear.
To begin with, Fort Edmonton is one of our City’s greatest attractions and as a family we visit several times a year with our kids. Every time we drive by on the Whitemud my son asks if we’re going to ride the streetcar, so just to be clear I am a very strong supporter of the park and what’s more I support the Fort Edmonton Management Company’s vision to elevate the park’s stature in our City as a year-round destination of choice.
Maybe we can use some of the ETS vintage fleet (like ol’ #99, a 1946 Brill) as shuttles to extend the Fort experience right up to the station.
However, I do need to say for the record that I do not agree with the decision of the Executive Committee.
To further clarify, I do not sit on that committee so I did not vote on this question; the decision is within the authority of the committee and so it will not come to Council for a vote. The committee’s decision is final.
Part of my colleagues’ rationale for the change was that good transit already connects South Campus to the Fort. The seasonal shuttle drops at the front gate but currently runs hourly. The year-round 15-minute regular bus service stops at Fox Drive near the mouth of the Whitemud Creek – which is a 900 metre walk. We normally consider 800 meters the maximum walking distance from premium (meaning very-high-frequency) transit services like LRT.
I do think it will lead to confusion, particularly for out of town park attendees, which may hurt the Park’s attempt to enhance the perceived connectivity of the Park in the eyes of the tourism promoters (as described in the Edmonton Journal story).
However, I also think that this can work, and I said this at the debate yesterday, if the park experience begins at the station. The representatives of the Fort Edmonton Management Company did suggest that they were looking at a ticket kiosk, and more frequent direct shuttle service. I would suggest looking into leveraging ETS vintage bus collection to help give the station and shuttle some historic flavour. (One person suggested stringing trolley lines up between South Campus and Fort Edmonton, but I have no idea whether that’s feasible.)
As I say, I think it’s premature at best until the Fort experience begins at the station and/or the frequency of the direct shuttle connection makes connecting with the LRT seamless for tourists and Edmontonians.
Really appreciate your wise comments,Don. As much as I think it will help with raising the Fort’s profile, I also agree that the tourist will get off at the LRT station expecting to be MUCH nearer to Fort Edmonton site. Shuttles with old ETS buses is a great idea!
Wish you were still our City Councilor, Don but glad your family are Belgravians.
Hi Don
If you go to the Zoo station in Calgary, you find yourself at THE Calgary Zoo entrance. This is amazing. And gives you a nice feeling that the City knows what it’s doing. In contrast, imagine anyone arriving at the Fort Edmonton Park Station, ready with their kids to explore the day. I think many of them will be very disappointed and perhaps make other plans (like continuing on to Southgate).
Redeeming this decision would be having a trolley, vintage bus, or train connecting to Ft Edmonton Park. But I would consider this now a necessity since the name is being changed. If we don’t, we are asking people to catch the dream with us that we really wish Fort Edmonton Park had an LRT Station, but since it doesn’t, let’s all pretend that South Campus is actually a reasonable alternative.
Agreed, Steven – have been talking to other councillors today and there is interest in pursuing the historic transit angle. I’m looking into it with City Administration.
Once again City Council is putting the cart ahead of the horse. Of course we will have to establish a year round specialized connection to Fort Edmonton Park from South Campus. Let`s hurry up and wait.
I would like to see a short trolleybus line to Fort Edmonton Park.
I’m still seeting about the stupidity of Council in shutting down the trolley system. That move resulted in considerable negative publicity for the city all over the world.
I like the idea of running a street car to Fort Edmonton from the Fort Edmonton station. Perhaps the Edmonton Radial Railway society would be interested in taking this on. I would suggest running the tracks down the bus only lanes on fox drive.
I have to say that unless and until there is a direct link to th fort in convenience and with historical significance, the proposal to change the South Campus station name is a tad ridiculous. Perhaps there should be a track laid for a trolley…but then who wants to undergo another 10 years of consultations and small town banter about “tax dollars ” and looking forward. Leave the name alone until the city is ready to commit to a real and feasible plan.
So, following on this thinking, we could rename the Corona station to Corona / West Edmonton Mall. I mean you can get off at Corona Station, catch a #100 to West Edmonton Mall and probably get to the doors of West Edmonton Mall faster than getting to the gates of Fort Edmonton Park from South Campus. Unless you provide a “to the gate” service don’t make life miserable for our tourists.
I agree, that renaming South Campus to include Fort Edmonton is not a good idea. However if this is the case; I really like the idea of a dedicated service using vintage buses, streetcars, as a means of reaching the park. Otherwise leave the name as it is.
I agree with Richard who posted earlier. Why can we not string up some trolley overhead down Fox drive and run some of the old BBC trolleys as shuttles – I realize they do not fit into the era that FEP is trying to portray inside the park, but what a great way to showcase another mode of transportation that was key in Edmonton’s history. There are enough buses and parts in Cromdale to have a nice fleet, including BBC 100 (the first of the only 100 ever made).
I understand Fort Edmonton wishing to have greater visibility – it is
a fine facility that my family enjoys tremendously. Perhaps a more
reasonable and logical way to promote visibility might be to rename Fox Drive as Fort Edmonton Drive or Quesnell Bridge as Fort Edmonton Bridge – both of these are in much closer proximity to Fort Edmonton than South Campus. Fort Edmonton LRT station at South Campus will just confuse people. As a transit user, this proposed renaming makes no sense. Renaming also diminishes a significant and signature landmark – UA South Campus – in the city.
I like the idea of a trolley line. It would work as part of the Fort and the large Historic Transit component and could go through Whitemud Eqestrian area. Cool!
I was in Edmonton last September and heard a proposal to string trolleybus wire from the Fort to South Campus LRT station. I was not happy when I learned that Edmonton was getting rid of its trolleybus network. I would love to see this happen.