CTrain Station Renovations

[reecemartin]

I'm surprised that Crime is considered a legitimate reason not to have those, it doesn't need to be open at 10 PM. 

I totally understand not building an unlit pedestrian underpass in the middle of nowhere but, can a system that transports 300k+ people every day not have small convenience stores? Many other cities have them 

[Gsgeek540]

1 hour ago, reecemartin said:

I'm surprised that Crime is considered a legitimate reason not to have those, it doesn't need to be open at 10 PM. 

 

I totally understand not building an unlit pedestrian underpass in the middle of nowhere but, can a system that transports 300k+ people every day not have small convenience stores? Many other cities have them 

Crime happens at all times of the day. If you check the statistics for Alberta since the beginning of 2018, more then 70% of robberies in Calgary occurred in broad daylight...not after 10pm as your suggesting they’d occur at. None the less, these stores closed shortly after PM rush hour in their final months and still had security concerns that ultimately, along with being unstainable, resulted in their demise.

 

Many other cities also structure their transit systems differently and have a more sustainable funding and staffing models then Calgary. Staffing at stations, collaboritive public safety staffing with local police forces, etc. What works for other cities doesn’t necessarly work everywhere.

 

Even when city run operation of these stores closed, the private sector interest of setting of shop in these locations were little to none. Even big name brands have no interest at all. They do not see a sustainable model in Calgary.

 

Although the location was quite poor, look at the coffee shop at westbrook station. Bankrupt in less then a year...and that was with a station (poorly advertised) and library attached to it. Back in my days in restaurants, we were asked if we were intereted in investment at Westbrook Station. It was the easiest “no” i ever contributed to making in my restaurant career.

[School Bus 101]

18 minutes ago, Gsgeek540 said:

Crime happens at all times of the day. If you check the statistics for Alberta since the beginning of 2018, more then 70% of robberies in Calgary occurred in broad daylight...not after 10pm as your suggesting they’d occur at. None the less, these stores closed shortly after PM rush hour in their final months and still had security concerns that ultimately, along with being unstainable, resulted in their demise.

 

Many other cities also structure their transit systems differently and have a more sustainable funding and staffing models then Calgary. Staffing at stations, collaboritive public safety staffing with local police forces, etc. What works for other cities doesn’t necessarly work everywhere.

 

Even when city run operation of these stores closed, the private sector interest of setting of shop in these locations were little to none. Even big name brands have no interest at all. They do not see a sustainable model in Calgary.

 

Although the location was quite poor, look at the coffee shop at westbrook station. Bankrupt in less then a year...and that was with a station (poorly advertised) and library attached to it. Back in my days in restaurants, we were asked if we were intereted in investment at Westbrook Station. It was the easiest “no” i ever contributed to making in my restaurant career.

Does anyone have a picture of these convenience stores? Curious what these looked like as I do not recall seeing these in person. 

[reecemartin]

16 hours ago, Gsgeek540 said:

Crime happens at all times of the day. If you check the statistics for Alberta since the beginning of 2018, more then 70% of robberies in Calgary occurred in broad daylight...not after 10pm as your suggesting they’d occur at. None the less, these stores closed shortly after PM rush hour in their final months and still had security concerns that ultimately, along with being unstainable, resulted in their demise.

 

Many other cities also structure their transit systems differently and have a more sustainable funding and staffing models then Calgary. Staffing at stations, collaboritive public safety staffing with local police forces, etc. What works for other cities doesn’t necessarly work everywhere.

 

Even when city run operation of these stores closed, the private sector interest of setting of shop in these locations were little to none. Even big name brands have no interest at all. They do not see a sustainable model in Calgary.

 

Although the location was quite poor, look at the coffee shop at westbrook station. Bankrupt in less then a year...and that was with a station (poorly advertised) and library attached to it. Back in my days in restaurants, we were asked if we were intereted in investment at Westbrook Station. It was the easiest “no” i ever contributed to making in my restaurant career.

Gotta build them up over time, and start with the busiest stations they become an asset as the system grows.Though I do think on a system like the TTC it may be easier since they do one big contract and the company does all the stores (so the high traffic and low traffic places balance out

)

[Gsgeek540]

56 minutes ago, reecemartin said:

Gotta build them up over time, and start with the busiest stations they become an asset as the system grows.

So basically what you are suggesting is to do what they did when each of the first 3 lines of the system opened up... There were 4 stores at south line stations, 5 in NE stations, Atleast 1 in NW stations that were all unsustainable and lead to them being shut down...

 

1 hour ago, reecemartin said:

Though I do think on a system like the TTC it may be easier since they do one big contract and the company does all the stores (so the high traffic and low traffic places balance out)

As indicated in previous post, Calgary has made attempts to privatize/contact out such services but there is little to no private sector interest. The business model is unstainable, if not more unstainable because now there is rent and a kickback to the City for their services. Even when the City of Calgary Cafeterias closed down and various City Workplaces (City Hall, Transit Garages, etc) there was no private sector interest in taking over operations because the business model was unsustainable. That is why no new stations since Brentwood in 1990 have been opened which such stores and have been, and will be continued to be phased out going forward.

 

When the restaurant group i worked for was asked about if we would be interested in something at Westbrook, we would have lost money on a monthly basis, even with our private operations making money on a monthly basis. The rent alone and kickback made the difference..

[M. Parsons]

I suspect that you need subway level ridership to really justify convenience stores in LRT stations.

There's been attempts at retail in Edmonton's LRT. Clareview, Century Park, and Southgate have done well enough it seems. 2 are terminus stations with large park and ride lots. Southgate just does well enough I guess. Lots of students using transit in the area though which helps.

Coliseum's eventually packed it in. South Campus failed, Mill Woods (non-LRT) failed, coffee shop in Central failed. I believe the kiosk in Corona might be done now. Bay retail never took off, despite advertising on the walls since... forever.

ETS tried years ago to get more retail into LRT stations, and the only new amenities that opened were Corona and Central, plus a food place in the old Central info centre. That food place has done well, however, it is at street level on Jasper Ave.

[downbeat]

It looks like transit is putting the finishing touches on the reno at Max Bell station, and this includes the updated signage like those spotted at SAIT. The new-style signs are on and in the station building but not on the platforms. 

[TimmyC62]

Ugh, the *other* side?! Gross!

[chills_on_the_train]

12 hours ago, TimmyC62 said:

Ugh, the *other* side?! Gross!

They've had 4/6 doors into Crowfoot and all the main exits to the platform closed for what feels like weeks now while they do some drawn-out thing with the floor grates, this looks similar.

Is that actually telling people to cross Crowchild trail to enter Brentwood though?

[TimmyC62]

Nah, there's an exterior walkway (perpetually smelling of piss - good thing it's cold right now) that hugs the south side of the station at that level, allowing you to get to the opposite side without entering the station. 

 

And they're also doing that floor grate thing inside the station at the track level.

[School Bus 101]

1 hour ago, TimmyC62 said:

Nah, there's an exterior walkway (perpetually smelling of piss - good thing it's cold right now) that hugs the south side of the station at that level, allowing you to get to the opposite side without entering the station. 

 

And they're also doing that floor grate thing inside the station at the track level.

Speaking of NW stations, has the escalator at Dalhousie finally been fixed? Last I was there a couple weeks ago, it was still covered in a blue tarp (as it has been for almost 4 months). 

[Blake M]

8 hours ago, School Bus 101 said:

Speaking of NW stations, has the escalator at Dalhousie finally been fixed? Last I was there a couple weeks ago, it was still covered in a blue tarp (as it has been for almost 4 months). 

Nope. From my understanding a part for it was discontinued so it's kinda just sitting there, collecting dust.

[chills_on_the_train]

On 11/8/2018 at 9:27 PM, Blake M said:

Nope. From my understanding a part for it was discontinued so it's kinda just sitting there, collecting dust.

That doesn't seem like a good business model for an escalator model that's only ~15 years old, considering their usual service life.

[TimmyC62]

Newish signage at University station. No pic, but the platform level area at the bottom of the southside stairs now has some really nice grey tiles instead of the old bare concrete.

[GrandeWest_B35G]

On 11/25/2018 at 4:42 PM, TimmyC62 said:

Newish signage at University station.

Had to double check what forum I was on

[TimmyC62]

On 11/25/2018 at 4:42 PM, TimmyC62 said:

No pic, but the platform level area at the bottom of the southside stairs now has some really nice grey tiles instead of the old bare concrete.

Which is now open, but covered with temporary non-skid/absorbent mats. 

[TimmyC62]

A rather garish addition to University Station today...

[CanadianTransitTycoon]

Speaking of stations, any news about Anderson?

[Pantograf]

1 hour ago, CanadianTransitTycoon said:

Speaking of stations, any news about Anderson?

I think the latest newsletter said something about Spring 2019 but I wouldn't put my money on it and no matter what they do to it, it will still be an eyesore.

[TimmyC62]

Not sure if I like it or not, but it sure is neat! Good thing I had a new lens when I spotted it today: 

[Nick B]

On 1/23/2019 at 10:58 AM, Pantograf said:

I think the latest newsletter said something about Spring 2019 but I wouldn't put my money on it and no matter what they do to it, it will still be an eyesore.

Will there be a temporary station structure? Any insight at all as to what exactly it will look like when complete? Last I passed through, it seems no construction has even been started yet!

[Pantograf]

I don't expect the final shape to be much different from what can be seen today other than the tarp being replaced by something equally unappealing. 

[TimmyC62]

Night version of the new University bulwark: 

[Pantograf]

Not much has changed since the last pic. 

[Nick B]

I sure hope at least something will be done to the yellow beams to blend them in...