New Westminster SkyTrain Station renovations complete

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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Peter Fassbender/Twitter

Canadian government and transportation officials gathered last week to celebrate the completion of updates to the New Westminster SkyTrain in New Westminster, British Columbia.  

 

Randeep Sarai, member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Minister Responsible for TransLink, Mayor Jonathan X. Coté, city of New Westminster, and Kevin Desmond, CEO of TransLink, all took part in the celebratory meeting.

“We are happy to celebrate the completion of these important accessibility and safety upgrades which will enhance the rapid transit experience for nearly 1,600 passengers who travel through the station each hour,” Desmond said.

The station upgrades, which representatives say have revamped its capacity, safety and accessibility, include the addition of a new elevator, escalators and stairs. New glass panels and improved lighting have been installed, with enhanced station visibility from street level also achieved. Construction on the station began in the spring of 2015 and wrapped up this fall.

The station’s upgrades carried a cost of CA$12 million (US$ 8.9 million), and the Canadian government committed CA$2.1 million (US$1.6 million) of that cost through the Building Canada Fund. The government of British Columbia also allocated CA$4.2 million (US$3.1 million), with the remaining funds contributed by TransLink.

“The government of British Columbia is pleased to celebrate the completion of upgrades to the New Westminster SkyTrain Station, which improves integration into the neighbourhood, and enhances accessibility, safety and capacity—all essential features of a modern and efficient public transit system. With these upgrades, our government can continue to create [livable] communities that are serviced by an effective and integrated transit network that meets the needs of the travelling public, reduces congestion, and meets our climate action goals,” Fassbender said. 

The New Westminster Station is the third of seven total stations along the Expo Line that will undergo improvements by TransLink through funding from both the federal and provincial governments. Crews are currently working at the Commercial-Broadway, Metrotown and Joyce-Collingwood stations, which are said to be some of the system’s busiest stations.

“I am pleased to see this investment in transportation infrastructure in New Westminster come to fruition. If the Phase 1 of the 10-Year Vision is approved by the Mayors’ Council, there will be more of this to come across the region and there will be lots to celebrate,” Mayor Coté said.

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