A year of fun and firsts with the funicular

Since opening in December of 2017, the funicular has experienced ups and downs. Despite the wild ride, this unique piece of infrastructure has stolen the hearts of many and has become an iconic landmark for locals and visitors alike. Most importantly, it has given everyone the opportunity to access the river valley and enjoy all of its wonders. Prior to the funicular, accessing the river valley from downtown was difficult. Fun fact: the funicular won a Minister’s award for Transportation Innovation by providing a barrier free pedestrian option for people to access downtown.

On this Valentine’s Day ❤️ we would like to share some of the love fellow Edmontonians have for the funicular.

Meet Mark

Mark is a resident of Newton who works downtown and uses the funicular on most weekday mornings to get to work. His commute starts with his daughter whom he takes to school via bike and bus. After dropping her off, he bikes to downtown and takes the funicular.

He says not only is it easier to get to work with the funicular, but it is a very zen-like experience as there is often a minute or two of him just reflecting and enjoying the magnificent views.

Meet Janice and Parker

Janice is a resident of Clareview and has used the funicular six times in the last year. Her favourite part is visiting funicular proper (stairs, lookout and bridge) as “special days” with her grandchildren and exploring the river valley trails. Pictured here with Janice is four-year-old Parker who loves to ride the funicular up and down over and over again.

Meet Chris

Chris lives in Avonmore and anxiously waited for the arrival of the funicular ever since funding for the project was confirmed in 2016. Chris says the funicular not only cuts down his commute to work but also provides a scenic view to appreciate the beautiful nature we have. He says the River Valley is one of the best features of the city so hopefully now that people have greater access to it, it will make them appreciate it even more.

Like any new piece of equipment, time is needed to work out the bugs and understand systems. Occasionally, there have been times the funicular has been down and not working. We looked at the issues closely last year and made improvements. We will continue to listen to all feedback to improve the service.

If you haven’t visited the funicular yet, we hope you do so in the near future and join our funicular lovers club! We’d like to thank Mark, Janice, Parker, Chris and all of those who have also shared their love ❤️  for the funicular on social media.

If you’d like to find out more about the funicular first year of operation, please click here.

If you have any comments on suggestions, please comment below or call 311.