Langley City backs plan to repurpose retired Mark I SkyTrain car in public space | Daily Hive

Langley City Council backs proposal to repurpose retired Mark I SkyTrain car as a public space attraction

Mark I SkyTrain cars. (Alexandre Rosa/Shutterstock)

As the City of Langley prepares to become the new easternmost terminus of Metro Vancouver’s SkyTrain network before the end of this decade, Langley City Council has unanimously endorsed a proposal to preserve a piece of the system’s past by transforming one of TransLink’s retiring Mark I SkyTrain cars into a public landmark — the centrepiece attraction for a public space within Downtown Langley.

The public transit authority is in the process of retiring all 150 Mark I cars — SkyTrain’s original fleet from the 1980s and early 1990s. These cars are being replaced by the initial batch of new generation Mark V train arrivals, now entering service each month. At this pace, all of these old cars could be retired by the end of 2027 or 2028.

You might also like:

Most of the Mark I cars will likely end up being scrapped — some already have been — but TransLink is giving municipal governments, businesses, community groups, and other organizations the opportunity to set aside at least some of the vehicles for new, long-lasting, creative uses. The successful recipients would be responsible for all costs associated with transporting and repurposing the cars.

In late 2029, when the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension reaches completion and opens, the new Langley City Centre Station — situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of 203 Street and Industrial Avenue, immediately west of Cascades Casino — will become the Expo Line’s new easternmost terminus.

Last week, City Council unanimously approved a member motion put forward by city councillor Rosemary Wallace, on behalf of the City’s Arts, Recreation, Culture, and Heritage Committee. This was an endorsement in principle — the concept of acquiring and installing one of the original SkyTrain cars as a heritage and public engagement project.

Mark I SkyTrain cars. (Macklin Holloway/Shutterstock)

The first Mark I SkyTrain car entering retirement, and being relocated to the Lumostage Virtual Production studio facility. (TransLink)

Mark I SkyTrain cars. (Sage Apartment/The Narrow Group)

Mark I SkyTrain car. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

skytrain expo line commercial-broadway station

Mark I SkyTrain cars. (Margarita Young/Shutterstock)

Located at Innes Corner Plaza or the new Langley City Centre Station?

The motion provides City staff with the permission to continue working with a volunteer-based team to gather additional information, identify potential partners and donors, and develop fundraising opportunities before any car acquisition proceeds.

According to Wallace, the idea originated with committee member Andrew Palmer, who first proposed a few years ago preserving one of the retired cars as both a public art installation and community gathering place, when TransLink first announced the opportunity.

While a final location has not been determined, the proposal by the committee initially identifies Innes Corner Plaza as the preferred site, although city councillor Mike Solyom also suggested the area of the future Langley City Centre Station as a possible location. This public transit hub features not only the SkyTrain station, but also a public plaza area and a major bus exchange.

langley city centre station surrey langley skytrain

November 2024 revised design for Langley City Centre Station on the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension. (Government of BC)

In contrast, Innes Corner Plaza is located just southeast of the casino, beyond its vast surface vehicle parking lots. This existing plaza is at the northwest corner of the intersection of Fraser Highway and Glover Road.

According to the committee, Innes Corner Plaza is identified as the preferred location because of its railway history. The site was once home to Langley’s interurban railway station, and the committee recently installed heritage signs there commemorating the Langley’s railway past. The proposal suggests that placing the retired SkyTrain car at this plaza location — about one block east of the new SkyTrain station — would create a tangible link between Langley’s historic passenger rail network and its new modern rail rapid transit connection.

During the City Council meeting, Wallace noted that while the proposal centres on Innes Corner Plaza, the committee would be open to locating the installation around Langley City Centre Station instead.

Innes Corner Plaza, Langley City. (Google Maps)

An artisan market space, cafe, or arts venue?

Rather than serving as a static public art installation, the proposal envisions adaptively reusing a 41-ft-long, 8.1-ft-wide Mark I car in ways that would activate the surrounding public space.

Three possible concepts have been developed: an artisan market space for rotating local makers; a coffee shop; or a small venue for community events, exhibitions and workshops. Under each scenario, the municipal government would retain ownership of the Mark I car while leasing the space to businesses or community users to generate revenue that could help offset operating and maintenance costs.

The committee notes that the project’s upfront capital costs would include constructing a secure foundation or pedestal to support the weight of the Mark I car, applying weatherproofing and anti-corrosion coatings to the exterior body, incorporating accessible design features, and installing nighttime lighting and other security measures to improve visibility and deter vandalism.

The proposal calls for security cameras, the possibility of regular police or private security patrols, ongoing maintenance protocols, and shared stewardship with local businesses and community groups. In addition, it envisions hosting regular community events and activities around the rail car to discourage loitering while fostering a sense of community ownership.

So far, only one retired Mark I car has found a new life. In October 2025, Lumostage Virtual Production unveiled Canada’s first standing subway film production set at the company’s facility in Langley Township, created from stripping down a Mark I car to its bare body.

Early in 2025, TransLink indicated it had received 11 proposals to repurpose the cars during the first application intake. The Narrow Group also previously publicly announced their proposal to convert some cars into artist studios.

There are notable global examples of passenger rail cars finding a new active creative use in a public space after retirement — in a way that celebrates local public transit history — such as in Hong Kong and Montreal. In Hong Kong, for example, a pair of retired MTR subway cars have been permanently incorporated into a waterfront park, where they are positioned alongside a replica station platform. The train’s air-conditioned interior functions as a community space during operating hours, with security staff on site throughout the day to provide supervision and security.

hong kong mtr trains harbour station reuse wanchai

“Harbour Station” public art installation of retired MTR trains in Hong Kong. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The Mark I installation in a prominently-located outdoor public space would celebrate Metro Vancouver’s public transit heritage while strengthening Langley City’s identity ahead of SkyTrain’s arrival. It also suggests the project could attract visitors, support nearby businesses, improve Downtown Langley wayfinding, encourage community gathering, and demonstrate sustainable reuse by repurposing a SkyTrain car rather than scrapping it.

City councillor Delaney Mack described the proposal as “a really neat idea,” while Mayor Nathan Pachal said preserving one of the retired Mark I cars could become a lasting community landmark, comparing it to New Westminster’s former tugboat playground that generations of residents fondly remembered.

A preliminary timeline envisions detailed planning and approvals over the next several years, with the installation potentially unveiled in mid-2029 — just a few months before the opening of the Expo Line extension.

“Harbour Station” public art installation of retired MTR trains in Hong Kong. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

You might also like: