An environmental design expert says gates could be installed at LRT stations to make them safer. (CBC)

An environmental design expert says a boy's death last week at a C-Train platform points to the need for safety gates at stations in Calgary.

The three-year-old was killed when he slipped and fell between C-Train cars at the Third Street S.W. station downtown on June 22.

The tragedy prompted Neal Gledhil — a University of Calgary PhD student in environmental design — to draw up a plan for plexiglass walls that could be installed on C-Train platforms.

"When a train pulls up there's a mechanism that triggers the doors. When the train is fully stopped and the doors open on the train, then the doors open on the platform," he explained to CBC News.

Similar systems have been incorporated into subway and light rail networks around the world, including the newer stations in London's Underground.

"When someone trips and falls, or their baby carriage falls across, or whether someone pushes somebody — they're not going to end up on the tracks," said Gledhil.

'I think there's a political will to take a look at seeing if there's safety aspects that can be explored.'—Ald. Ray Jones

Making LRT platforms safer should be an issue in this fall's municipal election, he added.

Ald. Ray Jones, who is running for re-election in Ward 5, agreed, but he said cost will be a key factor.

"I think there's a political will to take a look at seeing if there's safety aspects that can be explored. And this is maybe one of the things that we can explore," Jones said.

Calgary Transit officials, who are reviewing last week's fatal accident, said installing gates could pose new safety risks, especially if people jump the gate and fall in front of trains.

Gledhil acknowledged his design is not necessarily the right solution, but he said it's clear that C-Train platforms need to be safer.

"It's just not acceptable to say this is going to cost too much and that's the end of it. Because if you do, you can guarantee yourself, pretty well, that there's going to be another situation like this in the future."

An environmental design expert has drawn up a plan for plexiglass walls that could be installed on C-Train platforms. (Neil Gladhil)