In May 2017, ENMAX began the engagement process for a new proposed 138 kV transmission line between ENMAX No. 2 Substation located at 3120 – 9th Street SE, and ENMAX No. 8 Substation located at 903 – 4th Avenue SW along Stampede, Erlton, Lindsay Park and the Beltline as part of a project to reinforce electricity transmission into the downtown.
The plan, first presented in May, showed large electricity transmission poles (as pictured below) along Macleod Trail on the south side of Stampede on 25 Avenue SE, west side of Stampede along Macleod Trail, Lindsay Park and the community of Erlton and over the Elbow River into the Beltline at 1 St SE.
Impacts of Overhead Transmission Lines on Downtown and the Beltline
Calgary is making significant investments in the public realm to encourage new developments that will enhance the city and help boost the economy. Some of these investments include $44M into reconstructing 17 Avenue and burying the above grade utilities; CMLC’s $150M in infrastructure and placemaking initiatives in Victoria Park and Stampede; a future expansion of the BMO Centre to transform it into a world-class tier-1 convention facility; new 25 Avenue SE developments and a potential new arena on Stampede.
It would have been extremely counter productive to then add large overhead high-voltage transmission lines, which would have been inappropriate for the urban context beside Calgary’s expanding cultural, tourism and entertainment district as well as the Beltline.
Further to the above investments, Beltline residents have limited park space within our dense community of 23,000 residents and as a result are regular users of Lindsay Park and Reader Rock Garden. The proposed transmission lines would have negatively imposed on these green spaces.
ENMAX Releases New Plan For Burying the Entire Transmission Line
This month, ENMAX has released a revised plan based on the feedback from their engagement for the new transmission line that is now entirely buried.
A map showing the new buried line and the originally proposed above grade transmission line path is shown below.
Click to enlarge
Thank You!
A huge thank you to our local Ward 8 Councillor Evan Woolley for connecting stakeholders and City departments to work together to find a better solution. We are also extremely grateful to have great, thoughtful neighbours at the Calgary Stampede and Erlton Community. Lastly, we would like to thank ENMAX and their very professional project team for meaningfully engaging with the Beltline residents along with the other local stakeholders and listening to our concerns.
We look forward to working with ENMAX to ensure the construction of the buried transmission line through the Beltline goes smoothly. For the latest info on the project visit the ENMAX Downtown Calgary Transmission Reinforcement Project page.
In the media
Metro Calgary - August, 31 2017
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