Speed won’t be main benefit of funicular, city report says

It will be faster to walk into the river valley on existing stairs than take the proposed $24-million funicular, a new city report says.

Riding the inclined lift below the Hotel Macdonald, walking along a promenade and taking an elevator will last three minutes and 44 seconds, says a report released Thursday.

Going down the current wooden steps is 30 seconds shorter, while ignoring the mechanized equipment and travelling on the wide, new “urban staircase” clocks in under three minutes.

But the report says the funicular, which would cost $475,000 a year to run and maintain, will provide more benefits than just transportation. These include creating a landmark that links downtown to the North Saskatchewan River while accommodating people with mobility problems.

“Trips along the proposed … alignment include locations to readily stop, linger and capture views up and down the river valley.”

Two-thirds of the construction money is coming from other levels of government.

The project includes a promenade from the base of the funicular and staircase, a bridge over Grierson Hill Road and an elevator from the bridge to the trail system.

Work won’t be finished until summer 2017, well past a federal deadline of January 2017, so the River Valley Alliance is asking for an extension.

The cab of the self-operated, 61-metre-long funicular would hold 16 people, or eight adults and two bikes.

Coun. Scott McKeen said he likes the idea of opening the valley to seniors, disabled people and others who can’t climb the steep bank.

He also sees a likely “tourist sizzle” created by the funicular, which would be the only one in Alberta.

But he’d like to see it carry pedestrians from somewhere they can park, and he’s concerned about the operating costs.

“That’s a lot of money … I think council will maybe want to debate this again,” McKeen said.

“My colleagues on the River Valley Alliance may want to remind us about the rationale for this project.”

Coun. Michael Walters, a city representative to the non-profit organization, said the development has been planned for years.

It will be a major connection to the trails, boat docks and bridges being built between Devon and Fort Saskatchewan, he said.

He thinks the expected cost to run it is fair.

“The overall vision for the river valley and all the projects is amazing,” Walters said. “I think this is a oncein-a-lifetime enhancement to the city.”

Council’s executive committee will decide next Tuesday whether to recommend city council endorse the alignment.