Government Centre station explained

Government Centre
Type:Edmonton LRT station
Style:Edmonton LRT
Structure:underground
Platform:Centre platform
Tracks:2
Opened:1989
Electrified:600 V DC[1]
Accessible:Yes
Owned:City of Edmonton
Map State:collapsed
Web:Government Centre LRT Station

Government Centre station (formerly known as Grandin/Government Centre station) is an Edmonton LRT station in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It serves both the Capital Line and the Metro Line. It is an underground station located beneath 110 Street between 99 Avenue and 98 Avenue. The station provides service to the Government Centre part of the downtown core and the neighbourhood of Oliver. The station is connected to the Alberta Legislature Building and several other government buildings by underground walkways of the Edmonton Pedway.

History

Government Centre station was opened as Grandin station in September 1989 when the LRT system was extended 0.8km (00.5miles) south from the Corona station through a light rail tunnel running beneath the downtown core.[2]

Grandin station was the southern terminus of the LRT line prior to the construction of Dudley B. Menzies Bridge[3] and the opening of University station in August 1992.

Renaming

In June 2021, Edmonton City Council voted unanimously to remove the name 'Grandin' from the station, due to Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin's active involvement in Canada's Indian residential schools system and the cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples.[4] 'Government Centre' is currently used as the station's interim name.[5]

Station layout

The platform is a 123m (404feet)-long centre-loading platform that can accommodate two five-car LRT trains at the same time, with one train on each side of the platform. The platform is just over 8m (26feet) wide. Access to the platform is from the surface by stairs and escalators located at each end of the platform. The escalator and stairs at the south end of the platform connect to a pedway system that provides access to several government buildings near the station. This pedway is separate from, and not part of, the Edmonton pedway system.[6]

Public art

The station's west wall featured a mural of Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin, the first Catholic bishop in Alberta. It was designed by artist Sylvie Nadeau, and it was donated by the French: i=unset|Francophone jeunesse de l'Alberta.[7] After criticism from local First Nations activists that the Nadeau mural could be interpreted as celebratory of the Indian residential schools system, local artist Aaron Paquette was commissioned to create a second "response" mural from a First Nations cultural perspective.[8] Following a decision by Edmonton City Council in June 2021, the mural of Grandin was covered.[4]

Around the station

Government Centre Transit Centre

Government Centre
Transit Centre
Style:Edmonton LRT
Platform:10 bus bays[9]
Parking:No
Accessible:yes
Web:Government Centre Transit Centre

The Government Centre Transit Centre is located on 107 Street south of 99 Avenue, adjacent to the Legislature grounds, and three blocks east of the Government Centre station. The transit centre is served by ETS, St. Albert Transit (StAT) and Strathcona County Transit (SCT). There are few amenities at the transit centre itself, other than a large shelter.[10]

The following bus routes serve the transit centre:[11] [12] [13]

See main article: List of Edmonton Transit Service bus routes.

To/FromRoutes
Castle Downs Transit Centre150XETS
Downtown120X, 130X, 150X, 208, 403, 413, 701ETS, StAT, SCT
Eaux Claires Transit Centre120X, 130XETS
Kingsway Transit Centre701ETS
MacEwan University208, 403, 413StAT, SCT
NAIT413SCT
Northgate Transit Centre120XETS
Sherwood Park Bethel Transit Terminal413SCT
Sherwood Park Ordze Transit Centre403SCT
Southgate Transit Centre701ETS
St. Albert Centre Exchange208StAT
St. Albert Nakî Transit Centre208StAT
Strathcona / Whyte Ave701ETS
The above list does not include LRT services from the adjacent LRT station.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SD160 Light Rail Vehicle. Siemens Transportation Systems, Inc.. https://web.archive.org/web/20101026082217/http://www.mobility.siemens.com/shared/data/pdf/sts_usa_internet/edmonton_sd160.pdf. 26 October 2010 . 1 August 2014. May 2007.
  2. Web site: LRT Brochure . 15 November 2004. 30 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070104201709/http://www.edmonton.ca/transit/whats_new/LRT_Brochure_2004.pdf . 4 January 2007 .
  3. http://www.pcl.com/projects/Archived/E30032/index.aspx Dudley Menzies Bridge – Light Rail Transit Bridge Over The North Saskatchewan River
  4. News: Russell. Jennie. Edmonton city council votes to rename Grandin LRT station, cover mural of bishop. CBC Edmonton. 7 June 2021. 12 June 2021.
  5. CityofEdmonton. City of Edmonton. 1402669039743168512. 9 June 2021. City crews in collaboration w/ @artsedmonton are also working to cover up the word ‘Grandin’ on various signs throughout the transit network. The interim name for the LRT station will be ‘Government Centre’. #Reconciliation #YegTransit. 12 June 2021.
  6. Web site: LRT Design Guidelines 2011 . City of Edmonton . July 2011 . City of Edmonton . 700 . 30 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150509162238/http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/LRT_design_guidlines_2011.pdf . 9 May 2015 .
  7. Web site: Grandin/Government Centre Station Art. City of Edmonton. 12 June 2021. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130904115256/http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/ets/alerts_routes_schedules_maps/grandingovernment-centre-stati.aspx. 4 September 2013.
  8. "Contentious Grandin Station mural to be revised". Edmonton Journal, 27 February 2014.
  9. Web site: Government Centre Transit Centre Map. City of Edmonton . 28 April 2019.
  10. Web site: Government Centre Transit Centre . City of Edmonton . 28 September 2017.
  11. Web site: Brochures in PDF . City of Edmonton . 7 November 2019 . 2 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190802085906/https://www.edmonton.ca/ets/route-brochures-in-pdf.aspx . dead .
  12. Web site: Schedules & Routes . Strathcona County . 2 December 2018.
  13. Web site: Commuter Routes . City of St. Albert . 2 December 2018 . 2 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181202202608/https://stalbert.ca/city/transit/riding-with-us/trip-planning-tips/commuter-routes/ . dead .