May long weekend CTrain closures in downtown Calgary and near Stampede

It will be a working long weekend for Calgary Transit crews doing maintenance on LRT tracks and stations in and around downtown Calgary.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation will also be shutting down its Victoria Park/Stampede Station to work on the $128-million project that includes the 17th Avenue extension onto the Stampede grounds.

Clare LePan, vice president of communications and strategic partnerships, said the closures will start Saturday at 2 a.m. and are expected to finish Tuesday at 4 a.m.

“We will have long weekend closure at the station and it’s also part of a larger closure through Calgary Transit with some track work and updates that are happening along  Seventh Avenue,” LePan said.

LePan said crews will work around the clock to get as much work done as possible.

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“Some of the track work that is required at that station, as well as some of the concrete work that it is happening around pedestrian areas at that station,” she said. “And some of the work on the canopy and oculus at the station.”

CTrain rider Julian Wardassko said despite the ongoing construction, it’s clear the new at-grade station is already a winner.

“I am quite excited actually, this one seems to work better than compared to some other stations. It’s developing pretty interestingly.

“I am looking forward to it opening.”

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Brendan Harty said he likes the new station as well, but he’s also looking forward to the opening of the 17th Avenue extension.

“I’ve been here after Flames games and there is a lot going on. They corral everybody in one little spot. I am looking forward to that for sure.”

LePan said the work is progressing, but earlier plans to have everything completed in time for the Stampede in July are no longer possible.

“We always planned a completion of the station to coordinate as closely as possible to the BMO Centre expansion. It is progressing — we will see construction through the summer of this year, and we will have a completion later this summer of the station as well as the opening of that extension.”

The $500-million expansion is expected to be ready by June 5 and the new sculpture Spirit of Water was having its finishing touches applied Thursday. Artist Gerry Judah will join CMLC and the Calgary Stampede for a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 22.