A troublesome pedestrian tunnel in south Calgary is being shut down after dozens of complaints of dangerous activities taking place there.
The tunnel, which runs under Macleod Train South near the Glenmore Trail intersection, will be closed permanently this month, according to a letter issued to business owners by the city on Thursday.
“The City of Calgary has made the decision to close the underpass based on safety concerns raised by the Calgary Police Service and Calgary bylaw officers who have reported incidents of fires being set, hazardous materials, drug use and overdoses in the tunnel,” the letter reads.
Calgary police confirmed Thursday officers were called to 26 incidents in the area last year, ranging from suspicious people to drugs, overdoses, fires and panhandling.
Pedestrians told Global News they have witnessed frightening criminal activity by street people while walking through the tunnel under Macleod Trail S.
“They’re using needles, drinking, setting bonfires, smoking drugs, doing crack, doing meth — doing whatever they want,” Dorothy Cuillerier told Global News on Thursday.
“It’s not a nice place,” she added.
“I’m not a small guy but I actually get a little creeped out walking down through this thing,” Jeremy Dutton said.
Dutton uses the tunnel to walk from work to his residence.
“Its that underpass that you typically warn your friends and family not to go down, just because of the uses you are finding down there,” Const. Henry Robinson of the Calgary Police Service told Global News.
The tunnel’s light and ventilation system will be de-energized on Jan. 25. The next day, city crews plan to close off the openings and ramps at either end of the tunnel with concrete blocks.
Once the tunnel, which connects the stripmall on the east side of Macleod Trail at Glenmore Trail to the southeast corner of the Chinook Centre parking lot, is closed, pedestrians will have to use the overpass to the north.
The city said, based on regular visits, it believes the number of pedestrians that use the tunnel on a regular basis is very low.
-With files from Gary Bobrovitz