WEEKLY UPDATE - APR 10
Welcome back to the Weekly Wrap-up! Signs of spring surround us, including my favourite - the urban goose!
Following our spring recess, Council returned to a busy week of decision making.
Public Hearing presented us with a difficult choice as we contemplated extending the surface parking lots north of Roger’s Place for another 5 years. After a lot of discussion, and a failed motion to reduce the timeline to 3 years, I ultimately supported moving forward with the extension.
I appreciate this isn’t a perfect outcome. For me, it came down to choosing the lesser of two bad options. If we had denied the rezoning, these lands would have become completely vacant and the North Edge Business Improvement Area would lose levy contributions.
Moving forward, we’ll be looking to provide all surface lot owners in the downtown with an opportunity to receive temporary permits in exchange for beautifying their lots. Those that don’t will be subject to targeted enforcement. I hope that this approach helps to balance our need to support an attractive and accessible downtown, while also closing down lots that choose to work against these goals.
At Council, we had a rigorous conversation about residential incentive grants in the downtown. We’ve seen great success with these approaches in the past, including supporting 2,340 new residential units in Centre City with the 2021 program. Adding residential density to our core is essential for vibrancy and safety. While I was disappointed that my motion to offer an incentive program at this time was unsuccessful, I’m proud of the range of work we’re continuing to do to support a strong downtown.
With $5m annually in Vibrancy Grants, $235 million in capital investment over this budget cycle, the Window Repair Grant, and more, Council will continue to support downtown as we build on the successes we’re already seeing - like the record number of festivals last summer!
Rounding out the week, we welcomed a new interim City Manager, ratified the agreement with CSU52, and approved funding for upgrades to Beaver Hills House Park and Michael Phair Park. A busy and productive week all around.
