Tuscany LRT station opens in northwest Calgary

The northwest leg of Calgarys C-Train line now takes commuters as far as the suburb ofTuscany.

Calgary Transit and city officials, along with provincial and federal politicians, were on hand Monday morning for the official opening of the Red Lines ninth station the 45th in the overall LRT system.

The new station will serve the roughly 40,000 people who live in the northwest communities of Tuscany, Rocky Ridge and Royal Oak.

A growing city has to keep up with the transportation and mobility needs of its citizens, said Mayor Naheed Nenshi in a release. The extension will improve travel time, reliability, and customer service for CalgaryTransitcustomers in the area.

The extension to Tuscany cost $123.3 million, with the province contributing $118.8million, the city $1.9 million and the federal government $2.5 million through the federal Gas Tax Fund.

Kelli Taylor, president of the Tuscany Community Association, said the new station will make life better for young people in the northwest.

The youth in our community have been somewhat stuck late at night. They can go out to nightclubs or whatever and they can get back to the LRT at Crowfoot. But then they have no way of getting home.The new stop at Tuscany changes that, she said.

The new station hastwo park-and-ride lots adjacent to the station with room for 550 vehicles.

The original mid-century sign from the formerEamons Bungalow Camp and gas stationwhich was located close to the new station was preserved and installed at the park-and-ride on the Rocky Ridge side of Crowchild Trail.

The sign and abuilding in the Art Modernestyleremained landmarks long after the business closed.

The building was also moved and put in storage but there is no firm plan yet for its future.