A more energetic and vibrant downtown could be in the cards as St. Albert city council considers ways to attract more people to the area.
During the June 10 meeting of the committee of the whole, councillors voted unanimously to direct city administration to explore setting up an entertainment district.
Entertainment districts exist in a number of municipalities across Alberta, most notably in Edmonton with its ICE District. They allow for spaces where food and drink, including alcohol, can be consumed on the street.
Coun. Mike Killick said the inspiration for the motion came following a business mixer downtown with the city's economic development department. The business they met at had a special liquor licence for the evening that allowed attendees to have a drink outside.
"It was a beautiful day to mix and mingle and have a drink," Killick said, adding it made him think the city should do it on a larger scale. "Everybody focuses on the open drinking part, but an entertainment district is really much more than that and it is about entertainment."
Alena Brown, vice president of the downtown business association (DBA) and owner of Eye Candy Lash Extensions, said an entertainment district could help combat a perception that St. Albert's downtown is "a destination" rather than something to be experienced.
"I would love to see more, not nightlife, but more activity in the evenings because there's space for it," Brown said.
She said it feels to her like downtown is place where people go to get whatever they need done for the day, and then leave.
Killick echoed that sentiment.
"St. Albert is a busy city and people are often running around with their kids in the evening," Killick said. "And there are really good singular destinations. Like people will specifically go to a particular restaurant and then won't stay and do anything else. It's like you go to Costco, get what you need and then leave and you don't linger around. Well, I'd like to see that changed and bring a bit more vibrancy and activity to downtown."
He said he doesn't want to lose the downtown vibrancy and have everything forced out to the suburbs and larger chain restaurants.
"A lot of those businesses have worked very hard to set up and invested lots of their time and money and energy," he said.
Killick added he thinks the city should do what it can to help support those businesses and bring residents downtown.
Michael Erickson, St. Albert's director of economic development, said bringing and keeping people in St. Albert's downtown is an important priority for the city and his department.
"Downtowns are really important districts," Erickson said. "They're often thought of as the heart of the community."
He said his department will put together a feasibility study, public engagement and research as part of the council motion, with a budget between $20,000 and $25,000.
Although there are some safety concerns, Brown said she didn't think it was too much of a concern in the entertainment districts in surrounding municipalities.
"I think anything to do with alcohol does have safety concerns, but the nice thing is we can lean on other businesses or the other areas that have done entertainment districts," she said.
She said some possible regulations being considered include shutting down at a certain time "to be respectful of the residents of downtown."
"The cutoff is not going to be two in the morning where people can get unruly," she said. "We're hoping that the other businesses will have patio programs and it'll just be a really great place."
It is likely only alcohol bought from a licensed downtown business would be permitted.
An entertainment district isn't the only option that has been discussed to bring vibrancy to St. Albert's downtown. Brown said the DBA has explored various other avenues as well, such as a night market, an art walk, or some kind of music festival.
"Some kind of consistent events that will get people excited about downtown St. Albert," she said. "We have a lot of new businesses, a lot of businesses that have been here for a long time. We just want people to be like, 'Wow, downtown St. Albert is the place to be.'"
