SimonCo
New Member
What would we like to see take its place when it closes?
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Downtown
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
What would we like to see take its place when it closes?
IanO
Superstar
Honestly, a return to a retail space with some clothing or lifestyle options.
Kosy123
Active Member
More positive news from CBRE's Q3 report about downtown.
Gronk!
Senior Member
Coalition says $427M wish list should serve as 'blueprint' for downtown Edmonton investment
Stakeholders announced a $427 million long-term vision for Edmonton's downtown on Tuesday.
TAS
Senior Member
Coalition says $427M wish list should serve as 'blueprint' for downtown Edmonton investment
Stakeholders announced a $427 million long-term vision for Edmonton's downtown on Tuesday.edmonton.ctvnews.ca
Here are some other numbers in terms of the financial ask. They would like to see downtown population grow from 12,000 to 25,000.
Greenspace
Senior Member
"While downtown once contributed a substantial 10 per cent to the municipal tax base, this number now sits at a shocking 6.4 per cent, as of 2024."
edmontonjournal.com
Opinion: Now is the time to invest in Edmonton's downtown
We believe the challenges in our downtown present an incredible opportunity for transformation, growth, and innovation.
edmontonjournal.com
David A
Senior Member
A lot of visitors come to downtown and so the overall impression they get of Edmonton is from what they see, and I feel we are really falling short."While downtown once contributed a substantial 10 per cent to the municipal tax base, this number now sits at a shocking 6.4 per cent, as of 2024."
Opinion: Now is the time to invest in Edmonton's downtown
We believe the challenges in our downtown present an incredible opportunity for transformation, growth, and innovation.
Even with some of the most basic things, for instance a lot of visitors come to stay in our downtown hotels, but there is still no direct transit service from our airport to downtown.
The_Cat
Senior Member
Coalition says $427M wish list should serve as 'blueprint' for downtown Edmonton investment
Stakeholders announced a $427 million long-term vision for Edmonton's downtown on Tuesday.
HappyJazzz
Active Member
The majority if that wishlist is wildly delusional...
$25 mil to explore the idea of a direct rail link between YEG and DT?
It's called the HSR project. Now where do I pick up my cheque?
David A
Senior Member
What is the saying about you need to walk before you run? I am envisioning a transit bus service from downtown to the airport, which could be easily covered for quite a while by say $25 million.
Now I'm not against thinking about running, but we really need to start walking right now if we want to run in the future. The real enemy of accomplishing more in the future is doing nothing now.
HappyJazzz
Active Member
I just don't see bus service as appealing, and I'm guessing the free market would agree. There just isn't enough speed advantage to it.
Penny pinchers can already take the 747 to the SLRT, and presumably many hotels still offer scheduled shuttle service. Business travelers can expense their cab, and most others flyers have done the cost comps between cabs, vs ride bribe vs parking charges at the airport.
I don't disagree that Edmonton is severely lacking in quality transportation options, but offering some lame duck bus route just further cements the reputation of being a city that just doesn't get it.
Coprolite
Active Member
I would absolutely take a direct bus from downtown to YEG if it ran with any degree of frequency. It would cut two transfers for me over the 747 and be a considerable time saving. Even when I lived downtown adjacent, it would've reduced hassle. Back when we had SkyShuttle, I used to take that because it absolutely made the trip easier and faster unless I was getting off a plane and the 747 was right there.
David A
Senior Member
A few years ago I traveled to Montreal, which had for many years a direct bus service from their airport to downtown, as they did not at the time have LRT yet (which they only got recently I believe). It worked well and didn't involve me as a visitor going on some public transit line not well adapted for people with luggage (especially difficult at rush hour) and who are not familiar with the stations and where to go/transfer, etc ...
Yes, there is a stop gap of shuttle services for various hotels and expensive cabs (in part because the airport is quite a long trip from downtown), but not everyone traveling is on an unlimited expense account or wants to justify a big cab bill to their employers.
Edmonton is full of contradictions - too cheap to spend for a downtown bus, but hoping for some much more expensive HSR service that may not arrive when many of us are still alive. In any event at this point we are paralyzed by our inaction and have been for a long time. The city needs a kick in the pants to realize it is not aspiring to be Regina.
Yes, there is a stop gap of shuttle services for various hotels and expensive cabs (in part because the airport is quite a long trip from downtown), but not everyone traveling is on an unlimited expense account or wants to justify a big cab bill to their employers.
Edmonton is full of contradictions - too cheap to spend for a downtown bus, but hoping for some much more expensive HSR service that may not arrive when many of us are still alive. In any event at this point we are paralyzed by our inaction and have been for a long time. The city needs a kick in the pants to realize it is not aspiring to be Regina.
Greenspace
Senior Member
^^^$25m line item came from the last budget conversation, that's what the City estimated a bus would cost. They didn't fund it then but doesn't mean conversation is off the table.
BrettB
Active Member
I really think the first step needs to be doubling or even tripling frequencies on the 747. While a direct bus downtown would be nice, transferring to a train to get to the city centre is not the end of the world.