'This gives people a chance to get to the city': Saskatoon speed rail line concept looking for public support
In a province where there are vast distances between cities and towns, one local group is hoping to get public support for an idea to bridge those gaps with a rail line.
A project called SaskReconnect aims to get support for a mass transit solution which would be uniquely Saskatchewan. It’s the brainchild of Henry Feldkamp, who is spearheading this project.
Henry Feldkamp stands between First and Ontario Avenues in the downtown core, the proposed site of a proposed above ground high-speed rail terminal.
He says one of the goals of the service is to give residents living in rural areas transportation options, ultimately helping making them feel less isolated.
Sask Reconnect released a concept video showing how the train, which would operate on existing rail lines, would carry passengers and freight, making the connection to bigger centres easier.
“That’s where the services are and that’s where they are increasingly, and decreasingly in the outlying areas, so this gives people a chance to get to the city,” Feldkamp told CTV News.
The idea has been in the works for years, but officially released it this spring according to Feldkamp.
The first phase would be to build a platform close to the original CPR station on Idylwyld Drive at 24th Street. Service to Prince Albert would be the first test route.
The concept would be unique because while it focuses on the major centres, the ultimate goal is to have service to smaller centres too. Feldkamp recommends residents look at an old provincial railway map, which will demonstrate the potential for many routes in all directions, not just north and south.
“There are eight directions from Saskatoon while the same is true from Regina and Moose Jaw,” he says.
Utilizing existing rail lines will come at a rental cost to the train companies, but Feldkamp sees it as a positive relationship.
There’s no hard cost projection at the moment, because the project will be phased in over several years with various elements being added based on demand.
The City of Saskatoon was cautious in its comment about the proposal.
“The city is generally supportive of the philosophy of people having options for travel between large population centres within the province.”
Another major part of the project is to build a central terminal around the site of the former STC bus station on Ontario Avenue. That terminal will be above street level, a few stories up as to not interfere with street traffic and existing buildings.
There’s no definite timeline on the rail line, as Feldkamp maintains it will be driven by public support and a need for this alternative type of transportation. He is confident city officials will come on board if the public deems it necessary.
However, Feldkamp does admit that the new arena project slated for the downtown core is a factor in getting it going expeditiously. He wants to see the rail station planned in conjunction with the arena design, so they coincide in a beneficial way.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.