Ideal LRT park and ride solution eludes council
Councillors work against the clock to find parking solution for the Century Park LRT station
The clock is ticking while councillors work to figure out the best parking solution for the Century Park LRT station, before the existing park and ride disappears.
They set aside $8.8 million in the capital budget to design a transit centre and build a park and ride at Heritage Valley, but some don’t think it’s a good idea.
If the existing proposal goes ahead, riders would have to drive five kilometres south of the LRT station to park, then take a bus north to catch a train to their destination.
"I don't think people are going to drive, take a bus, then take a train to get downtown," Coun. Michael Oshry said
Council voted to park the money until they explore other options, including expropriating land around Century Park that was supposed to be used for high density development. However Coun. Ben Henderson said the cost would be too high.
“We will now be paying high density prices to build a parking lot we could have build 10 years ago,” Henderson said.
Coun. Michael Walters said the funds that have been put in place buys time for council to figure those problems out.
“In preparation for not being snuck up on later, we got a whole bunch of information coming to us. And we parked the necessary resources so that we’re not caught off guard,” he said.
Council will discuss the options in February, and then they’ll have to work fast. If new parking isn’t in place by the time the existing lease is up, there will be no park and ride at the end of the LRT line at all.