CALGARY, Alberta – Numerous challenges have been placed in front of the residents of Royal Oak and Rocky Ridge. Residents in these two northwest Calgary neighbourhoods experience highly condensed traffic on Twevle Mile Coulee or Country Hills for every commute.
The recently opened Tuscany Station (so named due to apparent higher wealth ratios in Tuscany vs. Rocky Ridge or Royal Oak) has provided a small reprieve, but we, the editors of 2P News, both residents of Rocky Ridge & Royal Oak, are determined to make travel out of our beautiful corner of the city even easier.
We propose a ski resort style high-speed quad chairlift to and from the base of Rocky Ridge Rd. to the top of the hill, making access to the new C-Train station easier and faster. The lift can be a paid option as part of a transit pass sold only to residents of the neighbourhoods, for an additional fee of course.
Satellite imagery showing the the proposed RRRO chairlift path.
Installation of the pilings and structure can be easily adapted to the wide meridian running up Rocky Ridge Rd., and there should be very few issues with traffic of any kind if the lift assembly is installed properly.
Antoine M., 2P News co-founder, proposing new RRRO Chairlift Project
We are just so damned tired of living in the highest neighbourhood in Calgary and getting no help. If they put a chairlift in, we can get off the train, jump on the chair and rip up to our houses. They can even cut the bus routes out so no one has to use them anymore if they want. Just a little shuttle around the main streets to get people to the chairlift loading gates. It’s not fair to make us walk up that damn hill all the time. – Antoine McGuilicuddy
The concept is simple. Acquire a high-speed quad from an out-of-business ski hill in British Columbia somewhere, install the piers along the meridian, string new cables, and hire to ex-lifties (should be easy, every student in Calgary has worked a lift line at some point in their lives), and start moving bodies.
The benefits are huge for very little cost, so the value proposition is significant. Kids can get to their sports classes at the leisure centre (that is currently under construction), seniors can save their failing knees from the drudgery of the Double-R Death Hill. Commuters will be a little happier on their way to work everyday after a beautiful, scenic view of the Rockies on their elevated ride down the hill in the morning, which should also help stop engineer on geologist violence.
The basic idea behind the concept is not entirely new. A similar idea, which uses gondolas instead of chairlifts, has been in operation in Round Rock, Texas since the mid 90s. The wildly successful Urban Gondola project moves roughly 17,000 people throughout the town every day.
Urban Gondola Project in Round Rock, Texas
2P News trusts that Mayor Nenshi his councillors will take this idea seriously and table it at an upcoming city council meeting. According to 2P News, 2P News plans to form a RRRO Chairlift Society to help garner support and obtain input from citizens of Royal Oak and Rocky Ridge. 2P News will keep you apprised of any developments on this 2P News chairlift proposal as try become available to 2P News. 2P News.
You know, Kate, that’s a great question that we didn’t even consider asking. Antoine mentioned that he will be in charge of checking for this if the system ever gets put into place. Even if it doesn’t, he mentioned that he’ll look for this problem on the city buses and trains.
Phil, pitch the idea! Write to @nenshi and see what he says. Maybe after we get our Royal Oak chair approved, the benefits will shine and one can be built in addition to the C-Train line!
What do you guys think of inverted chairlifts that use the existing Ctrain infrastructure?
Picture it: The overhead lines that currently provide power to the trains, imagine chairs with longish legs that run off that same power source, that are mechanically fitted to the lines. There you go. Done like dinner.
If I ride the chairlift, will people on the ground be able to see my panties up my skirt? I’ll have to quit wearing any so they can’t.
You know, Kate, that’s a great question that we didn’t even consider asking. Antoine mentioned that he will be in charge of checking for this if the system ever gets put into place. Even if it doesn’t, he mentioned that he’ll look for this problem on the city buses and trains.
What about using this idea up center street, instead of the proposed CTrain line? I am sure that it would be a lot cheeper!
Phil, pitch the idea! Write to @nenshi and see what he says. Maybe after we get our Royal Oak chair approved, the benefits will shine and one can be built in addition to the C-Train line!
What do you guys think of inverted chairlifts that use the existing Ctrain infrastructure?
Picture it: The overhead lines that currently provide power to the trains, imagine chairs with longish legs that run off that same power source, that are mechanically fitted to the lines. There you go. Done like dinner.
Please excuse Darcy. A bakers dozen of tequila shots and he gets a little lofty.