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Edmonton and the play for post-secondary educational relevance

A visual improvement of the existing campus is already underway...
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The plan through 2050 (with major expansions due prior to 2035) begins with the current "owned" land and structures and envisions additional land purchases to an ultimate campus -- all of the land between 107th Street and 109th street (east-west) and 102nd Avenue and 104th Avenue (north south). Note: NorQuest also has a campus in Wetaskiwin.
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I’m very interested to see if they go with the already designed, but smaller capacity building. Or if they commit to the larger capacity one they discuss in the plans. Sounds like their growth curve is too aggressive to settle for the original plans and they need to go back to the drawing board for the bigger one.
 
Edmonton really should lean into positioning itself as a major educational center. Ignoring the big institutions even smaller colleges have a good presence here already. Just a quick look we have these downtown already and I'd love to see more secondary campuses here as well.

MC College
City University of Seattle
Sundance college
Reeves College
Robertson College
Pixel Blue College
 
Note: MC College which now owns and occupies what was formerly Gene Dub's building on 104th Avenue between 106th and 107th Streets is thereby adjacently connected to the proposed expansion area for NorQuest and across the street from MacU. On another note (pun intended) Alberta College and the Conservatory of Music will be homeless in 2025 -- currently considering working with the Winspear Centre. Their current building (previously owned by MacU) was sold to the Edmonton Public School Board for a downtown campus presence -- https://edmonton.taproot.news/news/...sic-needs-new-home-after-alberta-college-sale.
It seems to me that a logical move for Alberta College and the Conservatory of Music would be to a new campus building on MacEwan grounds north of and adjacent to Allard Hall -- affinity guaranteed.
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Next in line -- the "Enterprise Square" downtown campus of the University of Alberta. @Garneau2Go's recognition of other Educational institutions that are springing up in the Downtown core is a valid nod to Edmonton's definitive downtown presence of Post-Secondary Institutions and "prep schools" (Centre High). Of course there is no guarantee that these institutions will grow and expand, but the potential is there. Edmonton City -- Mayor, Administrators, Council et al would do well to recognize this potential for putting some oomph behind the needs and advantages in this growth. As these institutions grow and expand they will also drag along potential for Office growth, Residential density development and Retail and Hospitality expansion. Putting a strong emphasis behind this sector along with the Sports and affiliated resource sector will give Edmonton a strong and distinct imprimatur, differentiating it from other cities in North America.
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Of course, too, there are the legitimate Campuses of The King's University in East Edmonton out near Refinery Row and Concordia University of Edmonton south of what was once Northlands, also in a more easterly part of the City. Both have major expansion plans.
 

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