Transit security debated in wake of LRT stabbing

Looking for ways to avoid more violence on the transit system,Calgary transit officials on Wednesday discussed a range of ideas fromputting turnstiles on theLRT platforms to enlisting policeto provide security.

The ongoing debate took on renewed importance after two people were stabbed one of them killed on Tuesday at the 8th Street platform.

Turnstiles, Ald. Rick McIvor said,would improve safety at the stations.

"I think it would prevent people with no good intentions from being comfortable within the transit stations," he explained.

"And those that pay their tickets and go by the turnstiles theoretically would only be amongst other people who had actually paid to ride the C-Train. And while that won't solve all the problems, I think it would be helpful."

Commuters do not feel safe on the trains, said Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart before the meeting. She said that restricting hours or handing over responsibility for the service to the police are options that should be considered.

But Ald. Joe Ceci, who is on the safety committee, said he doesn't believe restrictions are the answer.

"We've got an open system where you can where you can walk on the station at this point in time. To change it would mean retrofitting it with what? Barriers, doors, security guards? All of those things seem at first blush for me problematic," he said.

He said he agrees there are safety issues with the 8th Street station, but noted that a new C-Train platform being built one block east should be ready by 2009.

Tuesday's double-stabbing was the second death on the 8th Street platform in less than a year. Last August, 17-year-old Gage Prevost died after he was pushed and slipped into the gap between two train cars.