Grand River Transit to add Chicopee bus loop

Skiers may have an easier time getting to the slopes this year. CTV’s Ashley Bacon explains.

Chicopee Ski & Summer Resort will soon have its own dedicated stop for Grand River Transit buses.

While it won’t officially open until spring 2026, a newly poured sidewalk along Morrison Road will make it easier than ever to safely walk to the nearest stop for Route 27.

“We’re just so happy that it’s come,” said Chicopee’s CEO Bill Creighton. “It’s been a long process to even get it constructed. So, if we have to wait a little bit longer, we can do that.”

A new sidewalk is the first step in creating what will be called the ‘Chicopee Loop,’ a $300,000 project.

“This provides us an opportunity to connect directly to the site and then that route will serve Chicopee will also connect directly to Fairway Station, providing seamless connection to ION light rail and ION buses in the community,” said Kevan Marshall, GRT’s regional manager of transit development.

Creighton promised it will be worth the wait.

“We’re anxious to get going as soon as we can, because we think it’s great for the public and great for our staff. But again, to just have it, we’re really grateful.”

Work on the Morrison Road sidewalk is expected to wrap up this fall.

“We have a lot of employees that ride the bus to work, they don’t have that walk down the side of the road and through the snow, and they can get off right here, and we’ll have a trail right to the chalet,” Creighton explained.

When completed, buses on Route 27 will let passengers off in Chicopee’s main parking lot. Lights will also be added along the sidewalk for those dark winter evenings.

“The loop will serve as the turnaround point,” said Marshall. “From a rider’s perspective, very little change. There’s one stop impacted and all we’ve done is moved it off of Quinte Crescent onto Morrison Road. It’s less than a 100-metre walk difference to get to that stop.”

Buses will not be modified with racks for sports equipment, but Grand River Transit said passengers can still bring them onboard.

“A ski bag or a snowboard bag, you can hold it onboard,” Marshall said. “You’re welcome to bring it on board as long as it’s bagged up.”

Chicopee is excited about the change.

“We do have a long-term plan with the resort and actually having transportation and access allows people who don’t have cars [and] kids in the summer to come back with easy access,” Creighton said.