The Green Line Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee wrote a letter to the City of Calgary, requesting it adjust the $8.5 billion Green Line project to prevent the city from going bankrupt. .“Our committee must repeatedly make clear that ‘We Don’t Oppose the Green Line!’” said the Green Line Committee. .“The reality is that we are trying to save the Green Line.” .The Green Line LRT project will run from north-central Calgary to the southeastern area. It is the largest infrastructure project in the city's history..Some of the 503 Calgarians who signed the letter were former Alberta Progressive Conservative MLAs Jim Dinning and Ron Ghitter, former Calgary mayor Rod Sykes, former Calgary city councillors Patti Grier and Bev Longstaff, business executives George Brookman and Steve Allan, WestJet founder Clive Beddoe, developer Debra Mauro, and former Dragon’s Den panelist W. Brett Wilson. .Over the last few years, the group said it's been speaking out about the risks with the current plan and has suggested an alternative. It said the Green Line is at “a critical point.” .The letter went on to say it is essential Calgary City Council’s Audit Committee reviews and advises the group about any issues. It added these results should be included in fall’s budget deliberations. .Numerous people with municipal politics experience said if 500 supporters spoke out, city council would have to respond. .“We stress the vital importance of getting this immense project right,” said the group. .“Failure to do so will run the high risk of creating an economic disaster for our City.”.Green Line Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee spokesman Jim Gray said in a speech the group is speaking out because of its civic duty and its taxpayer dollars being put at risk. .“These elephants in the room only appear occasionally,” said Gray. .“We strongly believe that the Green Line is one of those highly dangerous elephants!”.Gray said the group is opposed to the LRT extension as is because it does not connect any new, under-serviced communities to downtown. It will have few new transit riders. .He said there will be no benefits to downtown revitalization because of few new riders. Operating costs will not be self-sustaining. .Gray said the Green Line will require substantial taxpayer subsidies every year. He said it will be inefficient because the new ground loading cars are incompatible with the present fleet. .Calgary spent $700 million on the Green Line to date. The city has been spending $500,000 every day it is worked on. .Final constructions costs will be revealed in fall 2023, but earlier estimates put it at $8.5 billion. Gray said the costs will rise to $1.5 billion by the fall. .The group said an alternative the city should consider is directing the line south to South Health Campus and Seaton. It would connect with six new communities and the South Health Campus, and there might be 4,000 employees and patients taking it. .The public figures said this version would bolster downtown revitalization. There would be minimal disruptions and risks. .Social disorder in Calgary’s LRT stations has been a growing problem for years. .READ MORE: MORGAN: Closing Calgary LRT stations punishes commuters.A broken economy and the opioid crisis has led to an increase in drug addicts on the streets. .Many homeless addicts have taken to using LRT stations and trains in the city as heated shelters and places to use drugs..Transit ridership is down 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
The Green Line Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee wrote a letter to the City of Calgary, requesting it adjust the $8.5 billion Green Line project to prevent the city from going bankrupt. .“Our committee must repeatedly make clear that ‘We Don’t Oppose the Green Line!’” said the Green Line Committee. .“The reality is that we are trying to save the Green Line.” .The Green Line LRT project will run from north-central Calgary to the southeastern area. It is the largest infrastructure project in the city's history..Some of the 503 Calgarians who signed the letter were former Alberta Progressive Conservative MLAs Jim Dinning and Ron Ghitter, former Calgary mayor Rod Sykes, former Calgary city councillors Patti Grier and Bev Longstaff, business executives George Brookman and Steve Allan, WestJet founder Clive Beddoe, developer Debra Mauro, and former Dragon’s Den panelist W. Brett Wilson. .Over the last few years, the group said it's been speaking out about the risks with the current plan and has suggested an alternative. It said the Green Line is at “a critical point.” .The letter went on to say it is essential Calgary City Council’s Audit Committee reviews and advises the group about any issues. It added these results should be included in fall’s budget deliberations. .Numerous people with municipal politics experience said if 500 supporters spoke out, city council would have to respond. .“We stress the vital importance of getting this immense project right,” said the group. .“Failure to do so will run the high risk of creating an economic disaster for our City.”.Green Line Ad Hoc Citizens’ Committee spokesman Jim Gray said in a speech the group is speaking out because of its civic duty and its taxpayer dollars being put at risk. .“These elephants in the room only appear occasionally,” said Gray. .“We strongly believe that the Green Line is one of those highly dangerous elephants!”.Gray said the group is opposed to the LRT extension as is because it does not connect any new, under-serviced communities to downtown. It will have few new transit riders. .He said there will be no benefits to downtown revitalization because of few new riders. Operating costs will not be self-sustaining. .Gray said the Green Line will require substantial taxpayer subsidies every year. He said it will be inefficient because the new ground loading cars are incompatible with the present fleet. .Calgary spent $700 million on the Green Line to date. The city has been spending $500,000 every day it is worked on. .Final constructions costs will be revealed in fall 2023, but earlier estimates put it at $8.5 billion. Gray said the costs will rise to $1.5 billion by the fall. .The group said an alternative the city should consider is directing the line south to South Health Campus and Seaton. It would connect with six new communities and the South Health Campus, and there might be 4,000 employees and patients taking it. .The public figures said this version would bolster downtown revitalization. There would be minimal disruptions and risks. .Social disorder in Calgary’s LRT stations has been a growing problem for years. .READ MORE: MORGAN: Closing Calgary LRT stations punishes commuters.A broken economy and the opioid crisis has led to an increase in drug addicts on the streets. .Many homeless addicts have taken to using LRT stations and trains in the city as heated shelters and places to use drugs..Transit ridership is down 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
