Blatchford Development | ?m | ?s | City of Edmonton

[CaptainBL]

I wonder if being deaf is a job requirement for city planners here. They seem impervious to feedback and mostly do what they want.

I realize that despite the occasional platitudes from the city, tourism is really an after thought here - hence all the past negative reviews of travelers here being stuck in a train station in the middle of nowhere, with no easy way to get to the more central part of the city.

A lot of people come here from places where train stations are more sensibly located - I guess silly of them to expect that here.

I would love this idea of the downtown connection. The negative is it would cost a lot to buy back some of the former CN lands as well as tunnelling and the such. I can’t see COE wanting that since we usually end up with value engineering anyways. To terminate at 107th Ave would be better than the current station but would be limited in transit connections (east-west buses). Hence my idea of moving the tracks to Blatchford Gate. Intermodal station (small scale) would make it a better connection point.

I love dumping on the ass-backwards, mind-numbing things the City of Edmonton and the planners do (or dont do) as much as the next person but in reality this actually has very little if nothing to do with the City. Via and the rail lines are federal government assets, jurisdiction, and decision purview. I cant seem to find it but there was an article years back of a city councilor lobbying the federal government on options for moving the Via terminal given the negative experiences people were having and the awful location of the terminal.

The city cant just pick up a federal asset and move it nor start building rail lines to somewhere else just so the train can stop downtown.

 

[kcantor]

The way it was … except Qualico own the bridge and land now.

via or hsr or the hyperloop are not lrt which makes 97th street probably one of the smallest obstacles in getting one or more of them to downtown edmonton. besides, the actual station could just as easily be on the east side of 97th street as the west side with appropriate pedway and other links being made either underground or overhead...

 

[NateTheUrbanist]

I wonder if being deaf is a job requirement for city planners here. They seem impervious to feedback and mostly do what they want.

Once I have my degree, I won't be that way.

 

[EtoV]

Once I have my degree, I won't be that way.

Don't make the mistake of being too idealistic and thinking you can change things from the inside easily... speaking from experience. You can certainly nudge things in the right direction, but it will take years/decades or frustration, while being forced to maintain a status quo that you know is terrible. The reality is that as a Planner you only have as much power as those higher up, and those on Council (and now frustratingly, the province to an extent) give you. Those with the most say at City Hall often have been around for a while and don't have the most, let's say, "progressive" planning views. I don't work for the CoE, but I imagine it's similar in most Cities. Not trying to damper your enthusiasm or anything, but I know a few people who quit Planning within the first few years of working because the juxtaposition between our schooling and the realities of the work place was so different. It's just good to have realistic expectations of the level of influence you'll actually have.

I do admit I get kind of a chuckle seeing comments that planning departments simply "do what they want", when in my experience its largely been the complete opposite. One dissenting voice can easily derail an entire project simply because Councilors are afraid of losing their vote, or Planning Higherups want to avoid looking like they simply "do what they want" as much as possible. Every decision becomes a balance of trying to make the least amount of people angry while still trying to do some good, which also unfortunately usually means picking one of the worst options.

 

[kcantor]

^. ^^

i hate to say it but the problem is probably too much public input too many times on too many things that drives so many of them into the ground.

the only ones who have the stamina year after year to fight against things until they successfully eviscerate things are those opposed to them because they’re too tall or too dense or they’ll generate too much traffic or add too much crime or they’re not in keeping with the neighborhood’s decades old plan or they don’t include a day care or they have too much - or too little - affordable housing (without defining what that is) or there’s too much retail - or too little - or….

there’s probably not a planner in the system that couldn’t write a summary of the public information session collated multi-coloured post-it notes and submissions before the public meetings are even held. it’s a thankless task not just for the planners but for council not because of a lack of public input but from inviting and accepting too much public input.

 

[Gronk!]

News Release - Blatchford named Edmonton Region’s Best New Community by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association

Blatchford named Edmonton Region’s Best New Community by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association March 20, 2023 The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) – Edmonton Region gave the City of Edmont

myemail.constantcontact.com

 

[Glenco]

Common theme here.

 

[Avenuer]

Good to see sales seems to be strong for those units. Hopefully development of more parcels picks up steam this spring and summer.

 

[TAS]

Good to see sales seems to be strong for those units. Hopefully development of more parcels picks up steam this spring and summer.

This townhome price (last one on this particular block from this developer) has been reduced multiple times and now is down to $460.

2760 Blatchford Road Nw, Edmonton Property Listing: MLS® #E4325697

Motivated seller! Move in ready. MODERN FARMHOUSE-NO CONDO FEES! Middle Unit, facing downtown, 2nd floor balcony, and 3 bedrooms plans! Highly sustainable, carbon neutral, energy efficient capable home with state of the art Geothermal heating/cooling system in the trendy up and coming community...

www.edmontonhomesweb.com

 

[Oilers99]

This townhome price (last one on this particular block from this developer) has been reduced multiple times and now is down to $460.

2760 Blatchford Road Nw, Edmonton Property Listing: MLS® #E4325697

Motivated seller! Move in ready. MODERN FARMHOUSE-NO CONDO FEES! Middle Unit, facing downtown, 2nd floor balcony, and 3 bedrooms plans! Highly sustainable, carbon neutral, energy efficient capable home with state of the art Geothermal heating/cooling system in the trendy up and coming community...

www.edmontonhomesweb.com

They are making no money at that price.

 

[MattPT]

I love this neighbourhood so much. Once the trees mature it’s gonna be even nicer. I really hope they stick to the plan.

NX - underground garages going in https://www.nxbuild.ca/

Some random street scenes. A lot of garage suites!

Lots by the lake getting close.

 

[thommyjo]

What will the total home count be when the current ones being built are finished? Are we past 100 yet?

 

[soupcrate]

What will the total home count be when the current ones being built are finished? Are we past 100 yet?

I get 163 when I sum up the "units_added" for every building permit issued in Blatchford proper. That includes garage/basement suites as separate units.

 

[IanO]

Only 19,837 to go!

 

[yeggator]

Only 19,837 to go!

I think you mixed up home count with population (still a long way to go)