A years-long initiative to link Calgary and Chestermere via a public transit route has come to fruition.
Representatives from the municipal governments of the two cities were at the Chestermere Regional Recreation Centre on Aug. 30 to cut the ribbon on the extension of Calgary Transit’s MAX Purple bus rapid transit (BRT) line into the lakeside community.
The inter-municipal project has been in the works for the last few years, according to Chestermere Mayor Marshall Chalmers.
“The launch of transit service opens a new sustainable way for Chestermere residents to connect with our neighbouring city,” he said.
“Our economies are driven by workers who call both Chestermere and Calgary home. We’re proud to take the step of making it easier to travel between our communities.”
Until Aug. 30, Calgary Transit’s MAX Purple had travelled east from the city’s downtown along 17 Avenue SE, also known as International Avenue. Its final stop was at the East Hills Shopping Centre, just a few kilometres west of Chestermere city limits.
Since last year, the two cities’ municipal staff and council members have been discussing the possibility of extending the MAX Purple line into Chestermere. The ability for Chestermere residents to access Calgary’s public transit locally took a big step forward last October, according to Chalmers, when City council approved a transit feasibility study.
Following that study, he said council directed City administration to send a letter to Calgary City council to request formal negotiations over an inter-municipal transit service agreement.
“Chestermere and Calgary have long been aware of the shared desire for transit as part of regional growth plans,” Chalmers said. “Now it has become a reality, and this is just one more step toward the continued growth and success of our communities and our region as a whole.
“Whether you call it Chestermere Boulevard or 17 Avenue, our common roadway sees thousands of vehicles travelling each and every day. Now, you’ll see the MAX Purple buses travelling between our two cities.”
The service will run two trips daily during peak times of 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Tickets to ride the bus will be consistent with Calgary Transit’s current fare prices.
Fares are available for purchase at CalgaryTransit.com/shop, through the My Fare app, or at Chestermere’s Safeway or Petro-Canada locations.
Chalmers said local access to public transportation will provide Chestermere residents a viable and affordable option when it comes to travelling to and from Calgary.
“You may be a downtown commuter looking to save on gas or parking costs, a student looking for sustainable transportation to attend post-secondary classes, or a senior looking to run errands or visit friends,” he said. “The addition of the MAX Purple line provides an environmentally sustainable, accessible and cost-effective option, no matter your reason for travel.”
Also speaking at the ribbon-cutting event Aug. 30 was Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi. He said the expansion of the MAX Purple BRT line marks the first time Calgary’s public transit service has extended into a neighbouring municipality.
Nenshi added the bus link will not only make travel between Calgary and Chestermere easier, but also help build a better sense of community between residents.
“It’s not just about getting people from point to point from Chestermere to downtown, it’s about giving all the people along the whole corridor the opportunity to be able to participate in the whole corridor,” he said. “People who live in Greater Forest Lawn have not had the opportunity to come to Chestermere Lake if they didn’t have a car. People who live in Chestermere have not had the opportunity, without a car, to visit the great shops and services along International Avenue.”
The transit link in Chestermere includes 12 stops on a loop around the west side of the city, including main roads like Chestermere Boulevard, Merganser Drive and Chestermere Drive.
While the bus service will not initially include stops on the east side of Chestermere Lake, Chalmers said the goal is to expand the link in the future, pending ridership demand.
“The transit feasibility study identified the west side as the most important,” he said. “We want to start small. We didn’t want to start big and then not have the ridership. But [people] can be rest assured that as ridership starts enhancing, our plan is to expand to the east side for more routes and stops.
“That’s definitely the plan, but right now, we’re in the pilot project phase to ensure this is something that is going to be sustainable.”
For more info, visit chestermere.ca/transit
