July 2, 2024
The City of Edmonton’s newest downtown transformational project, Centennial Plaza, is now open to welcome residents and visitors into an attractive, family-friendly and accessible space.
Located in the heart of our downtown, Centennial Plaza was designed as a gathering place filled with colour, art installations and play areas. As part of Edmonton’s Civic Centre, which also consists of City Hall, Sir Winston Churchill Square and Stanley A. Milner Library, the Plaza will host year-round events and activities.
“The City of Edmonton is transforming our downtown by creating vibrant, connected, safe, and welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy. Centennial Plaza will offer a fun, accessible and engaging outdoor space for Edmontonians and visitors to gather and spend time in the heart of our city,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “Beyond creating beautiful spaces, a clean and attractive downtown helps create jobs, enhance tourism and strengthen the economy in our city.”
“Congratulations to the City of Edmonton and all the partners involved in today’s opening of Centennial Plaza,” said the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, who was also on hand for the opening. “With summer just getting underway, now is the perfect time for Edmontonians and visitors alike to enjoy this unique attraction and other nearby spots offering up festivals, fun and food in the heart of our city’s downtown.”
The redeveloped space supports a variety of year-round features, including:
- Child-friendly design that encourages unstructured play
- Built-in seating and gathering spaces
- Public art pieces that evoke imagination and encourage play
- Animated light installations
- Accessible green spaces that feature trees, shrubs and perennials
Construction of Centennial Plaza began in 2022. Planning, design and construction of the project cost $17,382,893. This project was made possible thanks in part to $529,875 in federal funding provided by PrairiesCan through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund. The Fund supported projects to revitalize downtown cores, outdoor spaces and green infrastructure.
“Centennial Plaza will contribute to downtown Edmonton’s vibrancy and serve as a welcoming attraction for residents and visitors,” said the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan. “Our government is proud to have partnered with the City of Edmonton on this and other community-led projects that are revitalizing public spaces for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy for years to come.”