Transit infrastructure should be central to the Expo Lands redevelopment. That starts with making Coliseum Station safer and more comfortable.
Coliseum Station is one of Edmonton’s original LRT stations, opening back in 1978. Almost 50 years later, it is time that it gets a refresh. The LRT station has some of the most security and safety incidents in the city, partially due to the outdated design of the station that is filled with obstructed sight lines and narrow corridors.
It is time that Coliseum Station gets an update, and we know exactly how to do it.
Stadium Station completed its rebuild in 2023, with a design emphasizing accessibility and open sight lines by bringing all station entrances above ground, closing the tunnels and stairwells. This change lead to a 50% reduction in calls for service in the station.
The City often overlooks the needs of transit riders in its planning. With funding likely to be dedicated this year, take some time to send an email to your councillor and the project planners telling them why we need to upgrade Coliseum Station now.
Now is the Perfect Opportunity
Funding is already available
In 2025 as part of the Village at Ice District Master Agreement, the Government of Alberta dedicated $55 million to the demolition of the Coliseum and preparations for developing the Expo Lands into a neighbourhood. In addition to the $35 million that the City of Edmonton already dedicated to the Coliseum demolition, there are tens of millions of dollars that could be put towards making transit better in what is supposed to be one of Edmonton’s main transit oriented development neighbourhoods.
The station is in the plans
The Expo Lands Planning Framework sets out how the area surrounding Coliseum Station is to be redeveloped over the coming decades. These plans already say that we need a new LRT station for the neighbourhood that prioritizes linkages to the existing and planned neighbourhood, and to the Coliseum Transit Centre.
In addition to a rebuilt Coliseum Station, the plans also call for a new LRT station at 115th Avenue, a new LRT storage facility at the Yellowhead, and an upgraded Coliseum Transit Centre. These are also necessary projects that should be considered when funding is dedicated.
Coliseum Station sits at one of the most transit-accessible places in our city outside of Downtown. The thousands of people who already live in the area, and the thousands more that will call the area home over the next few years should have modern, accessible, and comfortable transit infrastructure.
Expo Lands Mobility Concept Map