The Bridgeland riverside multimodal pedestrian bridge: - A community-initiated project.
The Community Development Committee proposes a recommendation to move forward with the project allocating 100 percent of remaining funds.
Community Development Committee agreed to go ahead with the Bridgeland pedestrian bridge project with 100 per cent of funds from the Calgary legacy hospital fund.
This project was initiated by the community many years ago. The main goal is to repair the community’s lost connection with the river, St. Patrick’s Island, and the surrounding communities.
According to project documentation it will provide sustainable modes of transportation, benefit all Calgarians, improve accessibility and create a new destination on the Bow River.
The recommendations included:
That council approve an increase of $17.2 million from the Calgary general hospital legacy fund reserve to the capital budget to support further development.
Forwarding the item to the 2023 July 4 regular meeting of Council as an item of urgent business.
The new bridge would connect the north shore of Bow River to St. Patrick’s Island, replacing the existing LRT crossing over Memorial Drive. It will also give St. Patrick’s and accessible C Train stop for all Calgarians to access the city by a jump.
Funds, project history and highlights were discussed. The project is aligned with Councils Gilding Principles and Councils Focus Areas.
According to Allie McMillan, the representative on behalf of the Calgary General Hospital legacy fund review committee, Bridgeland is undergoing rapid development and it requires more support.
The project will also support active mode of transportation, reduce user conflicts, provide opportunity to connect with regional pathways and improve accessibility.
The new bridge will connect transit directly to St. Patrick’s Island and the park. It will encourage people to use transit, visit the island and participate in the events. It will also support tourism between downtown and Bridgeland.
Committee members voted unanimously to move the project forward.