Construction of Edmonton’s Red Bull Crashed Ice track starts Friday

Louise McKinney Riverfront Park and a section of downtown Edmonton will soon be transformed for Red Bull Crashed Ice. Work on the track will start on Friday.

The Ice Cross Downhill World Championship Finale will return to Edmonton on March 9 and 10.

The track will start on Jasper Avenue and swerve through Louise McKinney Park.

The event sees athletes on ice skates race down a track made of ice and filled with drops, turns and gaps. Racers can reach speeds of over 60 kilometres per hour.

READ MORE: Red Bull Crashed Ice makes its return to Edmonton 

Construction of the track will take place mainly between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. in Louise McKinney Riverfront Park and on 101 Avenue between Jasper Avenue and 96 Street.

There will be a full closure of 101 Avenue between 96 Street and Jasper Avenue on Feb. 9 at 7 a.m. until March 19 at 12 p.m.

Grierson Hill will be closed on Feb. 10 and 11 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily and on Feb. 12 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The west lane of 96 Street will be closed south of Jasper Avenue on March 5 from 6 a.m. to March 14 at 4 p.m.

Park and trail access in and around Louise McKinney Park will be temporarily restricted or detoured during track construction, the city said.

READ MORE: 70,000 people take in Red Bull Crashed Ice finale in Edmonton

In 2015, the downhill ice race brought over 70,000 people to downtown Edmonton.

“It’s an incredible marquee event for us to showcase Edmonton in the winter,” Edmonton Tourism’s Renee Williams said. “We saw a huge draw for spectators when it was here in 2015, so we’re very excited to have it back in the city.”

The event also generated more than $5 million in economic impact.

More information on the event and tickets are available online here.