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Once the Green Line is built, Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said city hall will pursue additional light transit rail service from Inglewood into Forest Lawn and out to Chestermere.

“While (Banff’s proposal) is a really laudable goal for the future… as the City of Calgary, our first and foremost goal is to move as many people by transit as possible,” Carra said. “The transit lines that make the absolute most sense for getting people out of their cars are the in-city transit lines.”

Still, a revived passenger train from Calgary to Lake Louise would be a welcome project over the longer term, said Carra, who sits on the Calgary Regional Partnership, a network of area municipalities, including Banff, that collaborate on regional transportation and other files.

The rail route would make the trip far safer for those willing to leave their cars behind, while allowing Calgary and Banff to attract new tourism and international investment, the councillor said.

“If people knew they could come here and enjoy everything Calgary has to offer and enjoy one of the most spectacular train rides in the universe, out to Banff, and enjoy everything Banff has to offer, that would do a lot more than renting a car at the airport,” Carra said.

Coun. Shane Keating, chairman of council’s transportation committee, was unfamiliar with the details of Banff’s proposal, but said he backs regional transit that boosts tourism, as long as taxpayers aren’t on the hook to subsidize it.

“As the tourist industry grows, which it has to if we’re going to diversify strongly, there is nothing wrong with this concept,” Keating said, “but it certainly has to pay for itself.”

rsouthwick@calgaryherald.com