The City of Edmonton wants the public to give their opinions on a proposal to turn Edmonton’s Old Strathcona neighborhood into a community center, part of the city's efforts to improve the area.
After completing two phases and holding public involvement sessions, the city is now in the third phase of the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy.
The suggested plan includes seven recommendations such as increasing green areas and bike paths, changing Whyte Avenue to give priority to pedestrians and public transportation, and closing a part of 83 Avenue to vehicles.
Michael Janz, city councillor, stated, “Most customers who come to these stores do not drive. Many people wrongly believe that there are a lot of drivers.”
Janz stated, “We want to have places that can be utilized in any season. Spaces where firepits and festivals can be held. We had ‘Ice on Whyte’ and other winter festivals here. Even in winter, people seek appealing places to gather and relax.”
Janz said he has concerns about the impact of limiting traffic on businesses, including the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market and the Fringe Theatre.
The Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, located by 83 Avenue, may only be accessible to pedestrians.
Elaine Doucette, Communications coordinator, mentioned that they are fully supportive of drawing more people to the community.
She added, “It has the potential to be really beneficial and bring more energy to the market and provide more outdoor space for us to expand the market onto the streets and make it safer for pedestrians.”
However, Doucette mentioned that if the plan is approved, the market would need to undergo significant renovations.
She explained, “There won’t be access for trucks. We will need to relocate the entire loading area. Currently, there are overhead doors on the east side of the building for all the trucks to load, but this fits in with our revitalization plan.”
As part of the proposed plan to add green space, a parking lot leased by the Farmers’ Market from the city to provide free parking for customers would be removed.
“Free parking is highly valuable right now. Having that and offering free customer parking is a huge benefit for the market,” she mentioned. “There is a lot of beautiful green space a couple of blocks away in the river valley.”
The councillor clarified that drivers will still have some areas where they can park as only specific areas will be affected.
“We are aware that there are 3,500 parking stalls in this area. There is a lot of parking. We need to do a better job of showing people 'this is where you can park, this is where you should go',” he explained.
Janz mentioned that it is too early to determine if the changes are achievable. He stated that it would still be several years before any work could commence.
He explained, “Even if the plan is approved by the council, funding is still required. This would involve funding for various streetscapes, funding for park space, and potentially the sale of some land for new housing.”
Residents have until April 7 to express their opinions via a digital questionnaire before it is presented to city council in August.
