More than 350,000 food lovers are expected to flock to Edmonton’s Hawrelak Park next weekend for the city’s annual Heritage Day Festival.
The summer event – which runs July 30 to Aug. 1 – claims to promote cultural diversity through the culinary experience. The three-day festival will feature a variety of cultural pavilions with more than 600 menu items from countries ranging from Azerbaijan to Venezuela.
But with no public parking available on-site, visitors are encouraged to bus, bike or walk.
Unlike Strathcona County which is offering an express shuttle service from the Bethel Transit Terminal at a nominal fee, St. Albert Transit will not run shuttles to the park.
"There are a considerable number of options available that people can use, including our transit, so introducing a park-and-ride over and above that, is a considerable expense," says Will Steblyk, manager of planning and customer service with St. Albert Transit. "It is not our opinion that we would be able to recoup the costs even with a nominal fee."
From Village Transit Station, festival goers can take the 201 or 203 commuter buses to Grant MacEwan University or the University of Alberta Transit Centre (114 Street and 89 Avenue), respectively. Park-and-ride services are available at MacEwan University, the Health Sciences LRT station and at Calder City Lot (124 Avenue & 124 Street, off Yellowhead Trail).
Special ETS shuttle service will be operating in the Castle Downs neighbourhood, including a stop at the Eaux Claires Transit Centre park-and-ride lot.
"To introduce a park-and-ride would be a considerable amount of duplication over what already exists," adds Steblyk. "(Strathcona County) is in a different position than St. Albert Transit because they do not have as many options as we do."
St. Albert Transit has operated special event shuttles into Edmonton in past years, including a park-and-ride for the Edmonton Indy motorsport event.
The city was not able to recoup the cost of operating the service, which cost tens of thousands of dollars for one weekend. There has been reluctance to introduce park-and-rides into the city of Edmonton ever since, says Steblyk.
St. Albert Transit does however offer free shuttles for events within the city several times per year, including: the International Children's Festival, Rainmaker Rodeo, Rock'n August and the St. Albert Farmers' Market.
"We have a limited operating budget and what we can provide for park-and-ride services we choose to direct towards local events," says Steblyk.
Admission to the Heritage Festival is free, but a donation for the Edmonton Food Bank is appreciated.
