Months of well articulated and often heated debate about St. Albert’s downtown area redevelopment plan (DARP) came to a head Monday with city council’s decision to embrace a bold vision for the future. Council showed leadership in its desire to shed the status quo of a downtown with quaint potential in favour of an area that, with effort and time, could become a thriving urban core befitting a city of St. Albert’s size. As difficult as the process has been, the dialogue over downtown redevelopment is far from over — it’s just begun.
There has been no shortage of public feedback about downtown redevelopment in the two years since Mayor Nolan Crouse launched a task force with the goal of creating a long-term vision for the area. Subsequent focus groups saw more than 100 residents and business owners provide input on what about the downtown is working today and what needs improvement for a better tomorrow. That process directly influenced background work for DARP, a 25-year vision for the downtown, which resulted in another round of public open houses to further the community dialogue.
That discussion continued Monday evening when more than 30 speakers addressed council with opinions for and against DARP. Groups like the chamber and the St. Albert economic development advisory committee lauded the plan for its potential economic development benefits from residential infill that could given the downtown the critical mass it needs for local businesses to prosper and multiply. The evening also saw several speakers air concerns about too many unknowns, including costs and property tax implications, and a scale of development deemed too large for a city many pride for its small town feel.
By sticking to its guns and embracing DARP, council opted for a plan that sets the stage for remarkable growth and redevelopment opportunities in the heart of St. Albert. As tough as that decision was, it’s just the first of many future city councils face on the downtown. An implementation strategy next spring will outline the next steps, but ultimately council has to set the tone. Council must decide which comes first, whether it’s creating new design and architectural guidelines or launching a parking study to determine the best available location for structures like parkades and how to pay for them. Is now the time to pursue an engineering study to determine how and when to begin alterations to St. Anne Street, a move that’s likely needed before constructing a civic plaza in front of St. Albert Place? We’ve heard plenty of references about a future civic building that could house city and not-for-profit groups like the seniors’ club — is DARP the catalyst? The options truly are endless, and each requires greater public dialogue and scrutiny.
Like most visions, DARP is a best-case scenario replete with projects and plans, some of which in reality might not see the light of day in 25 years or ever. Public projects like a new city administration building, branch library or new Millennium Park have to compete for a limited pool of capital dollars, which means priorities must be carefully set to ensure spending doesn’t spiral out of control. How council proceeds on the public front to improve downtown amenities and quality of life will directly impact the pace of residential infill funded by the private sector. As the Grandin mall situation has taught us, downtown redevelopment won’t happen overnight. The DARP bylaw is the foundation; now the real work begins.
