A new task force will be launched to help bring the LRT to St. Albert by 2018.
Council agreed to create the task force on Monday night at the urging of Coun. Len Bracko. He said the only way St. Albert can ensure the LRT is built within the decade was to start laying the groundwork today.
“I think the time for vision was 20 years ago. The time for action is now,” Bracko told council. “We have to make things happen, they don’t just happen automatically.”
Bracko’s proposal is one of two he has made in recent months about preparing St. Albert for an LRT line through the city. In March, council agreed to charge residents an LRT levy equaling $1 for every $100,000 worth of assessed property value. As well, council requested that all future developers in the city pay a voluntary fee of $100 per hectare of land.
Edmonton city council approved the northwest LRT route on Wednesday, an alignment that would bring the service to St. Albert’s southern border. There is no scheduled start date for the project.
Coun. James Burrows said he agreed St. Albert would need LRT eventually, but did not see why there was a rush to start the work now given transit planning at the regional level. He noted St. Albert first needs LRT to come from Edmonton before any plans are made within this city.
“I really see this as redundant,” said Burrows. “I just see it as so far down the road, it’s not worth worrying about.”
Bracko shot back that the city won’t be ready for the project if the work doesn’t start now, adding the line is vital to improving life and accessibility within the city. He later said he hoped the project would be shovel ready by 2013 provided there is government funding.
While administration will return to council on Oct. 4 with a terms of reference for the task force, councillors agreed to hold off approving funds for the group until the 2011 budget deliberations this fall.
