The city’s phone lines are now open for anyone wanting to participate in a design charrette aimed at planning affordable housing for a controversial site in Akinsdale.
The city finalized the hiring of a facilitator Thursday who will moderate a consultation process aimed at achieving a compromise for 70 Arlington Dr., where Habitat For Humanity wants to build an affordable housing complex.
There will be two round-table sessions: May 3 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and May 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both sessions will be at the Kinsmen Banquet Centre at 47 Riel Dr. Participants can register by calling 780-459-1500.
The goal is to create affordable housing that would be acceptable to Habitat For Humanity, Akinsdale neighbours and the broader St. Albert community.
“Something’s going to be built there,” said St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse.
He’s still working on a list of topics that will and won’t be up for discussion. Ideas that won’t be entertained include building something other than affordable housing, converting the space to a park or simply leaving it alone.
The city has invited Habitat For Humanity to participate but the sessions are open to anyone who wishes to pre-register.
There’s no limit to the number of people who can sign up, but if the number rises above 75, the city might try to balance attendance between the two sessions or take other measures to handle the volume.
“Right now, we’re not limiting it. We’re just going to play it by ear,” Crouse said.
Habitat For Humanity, Edmonton and private sector partner Apollo Developments wanted to build 58 townhouse units on the site. Angry neighbours filled council chambers during three tense public hearing sessions last month, prompting council to pursue further consultation.
The city will pay about $25,000 to Populus Community Planning Inc., an Edmonton-based consulting firm, to facilitate the design charrette.
Principal Beth Sanders will present her findings to council at its May 17 public meeting. Sanders’ website describes her as a “conversation and process artist.” She worked for the city during consultations on smart growth.
The sessions will allow participants to use materials and maps to physically explore the various aspects of the development: the number of units, size, location, shape and arrangement, Sanders said.
She expects the groups will be somewhat self-vetting and weed out poorly conceived ideas on their own. She will gather photos and written details of the ideas participants feel have the most promise and present these to city council.
“I fully expect to be surprised by the innovations that people will come up with,” she said.
Sanders isn’t deterred by the level of controversy the site has generated.
“Part of [dealing] with conflict is to believe that there’s a way through it,” she said. “People are smart and clever and they will find a way to resolve it.”
