The City of Calgary has created a formal department to execute the $6.25 billion Green Line project, now residing under the Infrastructure Services portfolio.
The City confirmed the unit, dubbed Green Line LRT Southeast Project, on Thursday, after a memo was sent to appropriate city staff informing them of the new department.
When former Green Line CEO Darshpreet Bhatti left his role after the prior CTrain deal collapsed, the City of Calgary had indicated that the operation of the Green Line moving forward would be brought under the direction of a city business unit. Previously, it was under the watch of the Green Line board.
Infrastructure Services GM Michael Thompson, to whom the department will report, said that the provincial and federal approval of the Green Line business case last week paved the way for the formalization of the new department.
“Pulling together a new business unit for the southeast project and having them within our Infrastructure Services team really just brings everyone together to deliver this project as we go forward,” Thompson told LWC.
Thompson said that members of this team will focus on the project scope from Shepard to 4 Street SE, where the City intends to begin construction this year.
“We’ll have some contracts out this year, and then additional contracts following next year,” he said.
“(We’re) really focused on getting shovels in the ground this year on that. That’s what that team will be looking after.”
Earlier this year, the province said that it expected Requests for Proposal (RFPs) to be issued shortly, and for construction to start before the end of 2025. Thompson said this unit will be issuing those contracts and managing them on the project moving forward.
“They’ll really be busy on the design and the construction of that project, out in the field, doing the work, getting that work done, working with contractors and consultants to do that work,” Thompson said.
Different group handling the downtown function planning: Thompson
Thompson said they also have a project development team within Infrastructure Services that will be handling the functional planning for the 4 Street SE portion through the downtown.
He said the two teams have different scopes of work on two very different projects.
“One piece is really ready to go and start construction right away,” he said.
“The other piece, we have to work with the Province of Alberta and all the stakeholders and interested parties throughout that alignment, and there’s a lot of work to do the functional planning study and figure out that piece going forward.”
Last week, Mayor Gondek said that a lot of questions remain on the downtown alignment, especially since it’s only at a five per cent design completion. Still, the mayor was pleased to hear that there would be a team dedicated to the delivery of the southeast portion of the Green Line.
“It’s really important to have a dedicated team working on the Green Line,” she told LWC on Thursday.
“This can’t be a project that’s done off the corner of some of these desks. So, absolutely, the Green Line team is needed.”
Thompson confirmed that former Green Line director of stakeholder engagement, Wendy Tynan, would be the acting director for the unit. Tynan was often the main point of contact when Green Line discussions came up in city council and questions were asked.
“Wendy’s been with the project for a number of years, and I have a lot of belief in her abilities, and so looking forward to working with her as she embarks on that with us,” Thompson said.
Tynan will report directly to Thompson. Previously, Green Line CEO Bhatti reported to the Green Line Board. The board was disbanded when the prior deal fell through.
Thompson said the focus would be getting shovels in the ground this year on the first 16 kilometres of track. There are no construction schedule details at this point, though Thompson said they would do their best to minimize disruptions to Calgarians, while getting the work done as quickly as possible.
