As you may know, TransLink is retiring the Mark I SkyTrain fleet, which entered service in the 1980s. TransLink put out a notice back in the fall of 2024 saying they have a process in place for people or organizations that would want to get one of these retiring cars for free, with the remaining going to be scrapped.
This piqued interest among some members of Langley City’s Arts, Recreation, Culture & Heritage Committee, who put together a detailed proposal to acquire one of the Mark I cars and turn it into an iconic public art installation in our Downtown.
This piece of public art would be functional and celebrate our transit heritage. Langley Prairie (the old name of Langley City) was a major stop on the Interurban transit line back in the day, and with SkyTrain coming, it makes a lot of sense to celebrate transit, which shaped and continues to shape our community.
The SkyTrain car would also become a landmark and gathering place for the community. The idea would be to convert the interior of the Mark I car into a usable space that could host a pop-up shop, art gallery, or cafe.
As for location, there are a few options, such as at Innes Corners Plaza or the Langley City Centre SkyTrain station, though nothing has been finalized. There is an active railcar restoration and handperson community here, and there are already folks who are interested in volunteering to transform one of these Mark I cars.
Langley City has a public art fund that could help cover some of the costs of this project. While there is more work to do before this project becomes a reality, Langley City Council supported this public art concept in principle on Monday night.
I really look forward to seeing how this proposal will take shape, and I am very excited about this grassroots effort to transform a Mark I SkyTrain car.
For more information, please read the full proposal.
No comments:
Post a Comment