Monday, May 26, marked the 45th anniversary of the CTrain in Calgary.

It opened this week in 1981.

On Tuesday, Calgary city council was poised to cut the CTrain's downtown free fare zone, which has been part of the LRT system since day one.

As I reported previously, it was and is not a pilot project—and I am happy to report that the words "pilot project" did not come up at council this week!

Although council didn't eliminate the free fare zone this week, the axe is still being held aloft until early 2027.

Councillor Andrew Yule amended the original motion, striking out the bit about eliminating the free fare zone in August 2026 and inserting new language about deferring that decision that decision until next year. That's when Calgary Transit will bring council an updated fare strategy—including, possibly, zone-based fares.

Yule cited strong public opinion as a reason to delay. "We had panel after panel who did not want us to get rid of the free fare zone," said Yule, recalling the May 7 committee meeting where all 24 people spoke against the cut.

"We need to rethink this, and I think we need more options on the table."

Council approved Yule's amendment 8 - 7. This changed what council was voting on. Now a "yes" vote meant deferring a decision on the cut, and a "no" vote meant keeping the free fare zone indefinitely.

Numerous councillors—on both sides of the issue—argued that council shouldn't procrastinate on the decision.

"Let's not kick the can down the road," said Councillor Myke Atkinson, adding: "Free fare zone forever!"

"Safe transit system forever!" countered Councillor John Pantazopoulos, who supported the deferment. "This is clearly saying, look, this is about public safety."

The deferral passed 9 - 6. (For: Councillors Kim Tyers, Jennifer Wyness, Andrew Yule, John Pantazopoulos, Nathaniel Schmidt, Andre Chabot, Mike Jamieson, Dan McLean and Landon Johnston. Against: Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Councillors DJ Kelly, Raj Dhaliwal, Myke Atkinson, Harrison Clark and Rob Ward.)

So the elimination of the fare free zone may still happen within the next year, but not on this particular anniversary of the CTrain's beginnings.

The first leg, a 12.5-kilometre stretch from Anderson in the southeast to downtown, opened in 1981. The northeast extension opened in 1985. And the northwest extension opened in 1987.

The northwest extension initially went as far as the University of Calgary.

Which brings us to a bit of infrastructure that I have passed by many times without a second thought. In fact, I pass under it nearly every time I go to CJSW to record a Sprawlcast episode. For me it has always been there.

But, as Sam Hester writes, it wasn't there from the university's early days (which were not all that long ago!). It's there because of the CTrain.

Jeremy Klaszus is founder and editor of The Sprawl. Sam Hester is a Calgary cartoonist and graphic recorder who writes The Sprawl's Curious Calgary series. You can print the comic above on a single sheet of regular paper—and fold it into a zine!