Press release -
CANADA’S FIRST FUNICULAR OPENS IN EDMONTON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CANADA’S FIRST FUNICULAR OPENS IN EDMONTON
Edmonton, Alberta – December 14, 2017 – The $24 million Edmonton Funicular, officially called the 100 Street Funicular and Frederick G. Todd Lookout, opened last week in downtown Edmonton.
A boxlike, cable-mechanized, incline elevator, the funicular can transport mobility aids, bikes and strollers, and runs beside by a staircase for those who prefer to walk. It is located in downtown Edmonton and was publicly funded to make Edmonton’s river valley – the city’s largest public greenspace – more accessible. It connects to a promenade and a raised lookout.
At the bottom, riders can walk along a promenade to a lookout point with an unobstructed view of the valley. Stairs or an elevator from the lookout descend the rest of the way. The stairway features built-in seating and a special path for runners parallel to the funicular track.
On one side, runners will be able to jolt up or down while sitting blocks — made of concrete — are on the other side for people to lounge on. Banford says the stairs have about 170 steps and are made out of Kebony wood — an eco-friendly material known for its durability. “
According to Dialog, the architectural firm who designed the entire project: “The materiality and overall form of the project are heavily influenced by the existing connective infrastructure of the city’s river valley system. The river valley is connected by a series of meandering wood stairs, boardwalks, and weathering steel foot bridges and this is an experience that is reinforced through the design. Kebony wood is used on the boardwalk and architectural cladding. Not only does it look beautiful and provide warmth, it has excellent dimensional stability and resistance to rot, designed to last 6 times longer than pressure-treated wood.”
Both the funicular and the elevator have design details, he said, from braille on the buttons to extra lighting and security, meant to enhance accessibility.
About Kebony
The company's global headquarters is based in Oslo, Norway, with production facilities in Skien, Norway. The Kebony USA team is located in St. Clair, Michigan, with local representation both on the East and West Coasts. Kebony has received numerous awards for its environmentally friendly technology and innovation, including its naming as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and a Global Cleantech 100 company. Kebony has been embraced by leading architects, designers and developers, which are served through a global sales and distribution network.
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Kebony is a Norwegian company which aims to be the leading wood brand and technology organization. Underpinned by proven timber modification technologies, it produces an enhanced wood of a superior quality that is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
The company's headquarters is based in Oslo, with its production facility in Skien, South of Oslo. Currently employing about 60 people, Kebony has subsidiaries in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, sales representatives in Germany, France, UK and the US and a wide distribution network internationally. Shareholders are leading the venture with private equity investors from Germany, France, UK and Norway. The company has received numerous awards for its environmentally friendly technology and innovation, including its naming as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer.
The Kebony® technology permanently transforms sustainable wood species such as pine into Kebony wood with features that are comparable, and in some cases superior, to those of precious tropical hardwoods. This unique environmentally friendly process is also a superior alternative to traditional wood treatment based on impregnation with biocides (wood preservatives). The company’s patent-protected production processes yield products that deliver major improvements in durability and dimensional stability, at the same time as being highly attractive. The Kebony products are suitable for a multitude of applications and designs – encompassing both indoor and outdoor applications.
Kebony’s mission is, through active innovation, quality thinking and understanding of commercial possibilities; give the world beautiful, long lasting and environmentally friendly wood products. The company will show social responsibility and contribute to improvements of the environment in a way that builds a better future.
