The Amacon development downtown is “the beacon of light” for this current council – a project that will change the downtown, and St. Albert forever. Unlike certain people who think this is progressive thinking and good economically, I totally disagree.
For one, infrastructure has been neglected to a point in which they (the city) need to charge us for projects not even started yet. The rise in your utility bill is a good sign of the neglect this council seems to see as “normal business practice.” The roads in St. Albert are falling apart and yet the city concentrates on roadside trees and meridians! I would dare say that they have moved into overkill. The Red Willow park sign on the trail, has four potted plants in front of the sign, Economic Development has four in front of its building. There will be people that argue St. Albert is a “cultivate community.” Do the words “fiscal responsibility” have any room in St. Albert?
Look at Amacon “cultivating” the downtown. Trees are going, parks are being paved over. My main concern is all this will be for naught. There is a big silver building on the trail that every one in St Albert knows about. It has been empty for years and is now working on getting tenants. Let’s see how this works out for the new owners. As someone who deals with the businesses in St. Albert on a daily basis, I can tell you a lot of business is opting to move to the outskirts of St. Albert to do business.
Look at the development on 156 Street and 137 Avenue. A business park as big as Campbell Park is being built, offering great access to Edmonton and St. Albert. The taxes will be cheaper and they will not have to deal with the congestion of what is now St Albert. You don't have to be a businessman or woman to see the advantage of this. The Amacon Development has already scaled back or changed plans.
What I know of this current council, this project will become a St. Albert/Amacon project. Which means the city will lease almost all the space from this project for offices. The council gets its new offices at the expense of paying top dollar to lease with Amacon.
Dwayne Yesdresyski, St. Albert
