Downtown developement plan divides Edmontonians, Katrine Sorensen

A new plan for downtown developement has become a hot issue prior to an open house April 8 where the plan will be presented.

The downtown developement plan proposes major green initiatives, housing, green areas and designated retail space.

The main point of controvercy is the construction of a $400 million Downtown arena. A poll from CTV Edmonton found that 55 per cent of Edmontonians are against the plans of a new arena.

Other edmontonians used twitter to vent off their frustration of the proposed plans:

"Professor Humphrey debating new downtown arena on Alberta Primetime #YEG !" Goaskalice 22 wrote on Twitter Monday. "Why would I want my tax dollars to go towards a hocky arena?

Although the downtown arena plans have gotten negative reviews from Edmontonians, the package itself has excited Edmonton twitters:

"Reading @cityofedmonton 's Downtown Plan. Looks like they have their stuff together!" Drewforward wrote on Twitter Monday.

The plan will be executed with the help of Downtown Business Association and Downtown Edmonton Community Legue.

The City of Edmonton is expected to present details of the plan at an open house at City Hall, April 8

Background

The Capital City Developement Plan has been on its way since 2006 and was initially intended to be a minor update on the plan from 1997. However, new developement caused the city to think up a new plan, and consulted Edmontonias via workshops and open house events. An initial draft was approved by excecutive city council in July 2009, and the final draft is expected to be considered in the summer of 2010.

A group of Edmonton-based designers: The Livable City Design group, formed by Cohos Evamy integratedesign was hired to complete the Downtown Developement Plan with the price tag of $400,000.

The Edmonton Downtown area is concised of 160 ha and is defined by the area from 97 street to 111 street and is bordered to the South by Rossdale and to the North by Central McDougall.

The Downtown Area holds not only the legislative centre crowned by the Legislation, City Hall and the Provincial Court, but also a cultural centre with the newly opened Art Gallery of Alberta, the Citadel Theatre, and the Edmonton Opera. The City Centre Campus of Grant MacEwan University is also located downtown, and the developement plan has left room for an expansion of the university campus.

The complaints from Edmontonians about the new arena were dismissed by Mayor Stephen Mandel in an interview to CTV Edmonton Monday.

Note: image from wiugc2008.com and media.canada.com