Garneau Neighbourhood Renewal

As part of the project team led by Al-Terra Engineering, EDA is currently working with the City of Edmonton’s Building Great Neighbourhoods Team to engage, provide preliminary design and field design for the Garneau Neighbourhood Renewal project. The project commenced in 2018 to prepare for construction that started in 2021 and will be completed in 2023. The scope of the project was to complete a design for the revitalization of the road infrastructure that would be suitable for all users for the next 40-50 years. This required the project team to look beyond a like-for-like treatment and to tailor the design for active transportation policies and infrastructure, low impact development opportunities, parks and open space improvements, and traffic calming features that improve walkability while maintaining the character and mature boulevard trees within the community. The design was thoroughly engaged with various stakeholders within the community including local businesses, residents, churches, schools, and the University of Alberta. In addition, the design also needed to include elements following city policy and guidelines such as the Edmonton Bike Plan as well as Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

The Garneau Neighbourhood was one of the last neighbourhood renewal projects to be completed around the University of Alberta (Belgravia, Mckernan, Queen Alex, Strathcona). The Garneau Neighbourhood was a part of the south side bike network plan that completed several connections to surrounding neighbourhoods including the east / west connection on 83 and 84 Avenues between 111 and 112 Streets, and north / south on 110 Street between Saskatchewan Drive and 76 Avenue. Parks & open space improvements include the creation of a new park at 107 Street along the rail corridor, and significant improvement to Braithwaite Park with the addition of a dog park and a new entry feature.  New LID features were introduced at several locations that increase the resiliency of the City’s drainage infrastructure. The project improved walkability and accessibility for the neighbourhood with the identification of primary walking routes with wider sidewalks, and the introduction of TWSI’s at crossings along these routes that improve universal accessibility. 

Innovative designs were developed for street integrated LID facilities that used chicanes as planting beds that function both as traffic calming as well as storm water management. Designing bike lanes in limited space with utilities and competing public needs to accommodate as many users as possible without compromising safety (i.e. parking bays, facility types). Designing and constructing all missing link sidewalks in the neighbourhood. 

The project also required coordination with adjacent developments and businesses. This includes the Maclab development on 86 Avenue, the Beljan development off 109 Street and redevelopment around businesses on 88 Avenue through the Corner Stores Program. This project benefited from engaging the public with design opportunities, options, trade-offs concept and final design. 

Areas of Expertise

• Neighbourhood-related transportation planning and engineering design
• Urban planning and design
• Drainage engineering design and low impact development (LID)
• Landscape architecture and design