St. Albert’s downtown, including the beautiful and historic Perron District, is not only in the heart of the city – it IS the heart of the city. The hub of art, entertainment and local government is also a vibrant business area, with unique retail shops, professional offices, coffee houses and restaurants.
Add to that the beauty of the area – things like a riverside walkway/bike path and mosaic wall art on quaint, pedestrian-friendly streets – and it’s no wonder the downtown is a vibrant focal point for our citizens. If St. Albert is a bouquet of beautiful flowers, then the downtown is surely the rose.
Here’s a sampling of a number of facts on the Perron District – some “Did You Know?” trivia – that may help you get to know your downtown even better – or wow your friends at the holiday party.
• St. Albert Place, a focal point of community events and activities, was designed to keep the number of corners to an absolute minimum. It was designed by world-renowned Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal to mimic the curves and flow of the neighbouring Sturgeon River.
• One of the new kids on the retail block is Hudson Madison, a high-end custom furniture shop on Perron St. with nine, count ’em, nine designated parking spots behind the store.
• In 2012, there were 36 retail business licences issued in the downtown – that’s topped only by the health category, with 58. That must mean we have a healthy downtown?
• The mural mosaic Cultivate Life is Lewis Lavoie’s latest contribution to downtown art – a big artwork made from smaller artworks. This one had 146 artists create 216 individual panels.
• The city’s Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP), is a framework for public and private development over the next 25 years. Potential projects include a civic square, a parkade and widened sidewalks along Perron Street.
• There are 12 pieces of public art in the downtown. Why not challenge yourself to find them all?
• Weekly attendance at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market, Western Canada’s largest outdoor market, ranges from 10,000 to 15,000.
• Pots of flowers, outdoor furnishings and the like – beautification – increases sales. Businesses in the Perron District have shown an increase in sales of 15 to 35 per cent by prettying up the street front.
• Downtown proper had a population of 457 in the 2010 Census. But add neighbouring Mission’s tally of 2,487 and the larger core houses nearly 3,000 people.
• The first Thursday of each summer month is known as Artwalk. Several downtown art galleries and businesses take part from 6 to 9 p.m., celebrating the arts community and making for a pleasant stroll.
• At Grandin Theatres, businesses can now advertise via video on one of the five TV screens in the theatre lobby, running between movie trailers.
• The St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club on TachĂ© St. is now called St. Albert 50+ Club, with programming and fellowship for seniors. Anyone over 50 can join, for an annual membership of $55.00.
• Street signs in the Perron District are in three languages: Cree, French and English, reflecting the heritage of the area.
• A city land-use bylaw calls for a minimum three-storey height requirement for all future buildings created downtown.
• It costs zero – zilch – nada – to take the Park N’ Ride from St. Albert Centre to the farmers’ market and back, Saturdays from June through October.
• There’s one official flower of St. Albert – the petunia. The cherry pink tidal wave variety was our city’s exclusive colour in 2012, adorning planters throughout the downtown.
• The new smokehouse barbecue oven at La Crema Caffe is a one-only in these parts, luring patrons along St. Thomas St. with wafting aromas of pulled pork and beef brisket.
• Perpendicular (blade) signs are plentiful on buildings in the Perron District, and with good reason. They are seen 10 times more frequently by drivers and pedestrians than façade-mounted signs.
• The largest age group calling downtown home are those 75-plus, followed by seniors between 65 and 74.
• There are nine story panels telling the history and culture of the Perron District, starting at the St. Albert Mission and finishing at the Clock Tower. A landscaped trail, the Founders Walk, climbs from downtown to the Mission.
• Some 16 dining and specialty foods spots inhabit the Perron District, from pubs and lounges to fine dining establishments. Perhaps a worthy New Year’s resolution: check them all out.
• Downtown businesses can apply for a grant of up to 50 per cent, to a maximum of $2,500 per element, to beautify their biz: bike rack, planter, street furniture or signage.
• Almost every occupied dwelling downtown is a multi-family unit, some 233 in the last census. There’s scarcely one single family home in the core.
• Lions Park, one of St. Albert’s oldest and most popular family parks, has campfire rings/pits along with two picnic shelters and one maintained ball diamond. Can’t you just smell the hot dogs?
• In 2011, there were 302,760 visits to the St. Albert Public Library, and those patrons borrowed 885,363 items. Overdue books, anyone?
• The St. Albert Community Hall on Perron St. has a 3,300 square-foot hardwood floor on the main level. No one wonder it’s sought after for weddings and dances, such as the upcoming New Year’s Eve fete.
• Modern Eyes Gallery and Gift will be joined by other Perron District retailers and stay open Sunday, Dec. 23 for last-minute Christmas shopping. It’s a first for the area, and a reminder from retailers to “shop local.” Convenient too, plus parking is FREE in the downtown.
• The city issued a total of 239 business licences in the downtown for 2012. Those include financial, services (spa, esthetics) legal and real estate categories.
• During farmers’ market on Saturdays, Cranky’s Bike Shop provides free parking for up to 50 bikes inside a shady tent. The long-time staple of the Perron District has a rack out front for four bikes the rest of the year.
• Rock’n August international car show and music festival had 546 classic car entries last year. More than 50,000 attended, making it one of the largest events in Alberta.
• Gemport, winner of the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of Distinction Award, boasts an on-site, third-generation master goldsmith and gem cutter. The jewelry design retailer has been part of St. Albert’s downtown since 1981.
• Be a sponsor of the River Edge Enhancement Program (REEP). For $250, you can plant a large spruce tree along the Sturgeon River, personalized tree tag included.
• The 533 Sabre Squadron Air Cadets have been a permanent tenant of the St. Albert Community Hall for over 50 years. Youth aged 12 to 18 get free leadership and citizenship training, with an emphasis on aviation.
• Privada wine bar offers upscale charcuterie at its Perron District space. From the simple tasting-plate menu, $20 will get you three dairy/cheeses tastes and 2 meat samples. The finest meats and cheeses, a glass of wine – what’s not to like?
• The MusĂ©e Heritage Museum in St. Albert Place has over 6,500 artifacts on the community’s history.
• One of the most intimate of theatres, the Arden Theatre, seats 529, and is busy 300 days a year hosting 150 performance events.
• Two of Alberta’s provincially designated grain elevators are just on the horizon of our downtown: the 1906 Alberta Grain Company Elevator, and the 1929 Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator. Both were fully restored in 2011.
• Feel like throwing a rock? The St. Albert Curling Club on Tache has six sheets of ice available to more than 100 men’s, women’s, mixed and other leagues. Hurry hard.
• If you’re a youth in Grade 7 through age 17, the St. Albert Youth Community Centre in the Grandin Park Plaza has a place for you. The fun, safe space has a computer lab, and focuses on volunteer work and in-school mentoring.
• The Art Gallery of St. Albert is one of only 18 public art galleries in Alberta, hosting 12 exhibits per year of various mediums and styles.
• No fewer than fives types of fish and seafood go into the bouillabaisse at the popular, hot and spicy Cajun House restaurant: red snapper, mussels, scallops, shrimp and a crab leg are cooked in a saffron-flavoured fish broth.
• Want to shed a few extra pounds after the holidays? Weight Watchers has had a home in St. Albert Community Hall for over 20 years, with three meetings each week.
• The International Children’s Festival attracts over 40,000 participants over a five-day stretch each May.
• The Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts Gala, held at the Arden each spring, gives up to eight awards of $1,000 to individuals and community groups for contribution to the arts in St. Albert.
• Here’s one hidden gem: The A.C.T. Celebration Garden, located in Red Willow Park across the Sturgeon River from St. Albert Place, is a peaceful park with sculptural benches and bronze plaques celebrating community achievements. Take a moment to stop and smell the roses, literally.
• River House Grill, in the purple Victorian house along the Sturgeon River, has a well-stocked wine bar, featuring over 45 single malt Scotch brands, 12 wines by the glass, and 100 wines by the bottle.
• Sitting in the shadow of the grain elevators, the four diamonds of Legion Memorial Park are busy with all levels of baseball competition every spring and summer.
• Wine Kitz St. Albert is making home brewing this holiday a little easier on the wallet. The Perron District retailer is offering Facebook readers a 15-per-cent off coupon for equipment, giftware, or wine or beer making kits.
• If you’re a student in St. Albert, you’ve been to The Little White School House, on Madonna Drive. The two-room schoolhouse built in 1948 offers a glimpse into how the three Rs were taught, old school. Literally. Old school.
• Each New Year’s Eve and Canada Day, the fireworks display on Seven Hills lights up the surrounding downtown area. One 15-minute show costs sponsor Victory Life Church about $28,000, with partial funding from the city. To many, it’s a must-see tradition.
