thommyjo
Senior Member
I think 124th will really take off as more of west central sees infill/development. That’s the go to Main Street for the west end. Getting to whyte is much harder.I do think adding more people and density in West Oliver will help quite a bit, but it is not in itself a magic bullet. It really developed as mainly a residential area with not much commercial. I think that will start to change in the future and help make it more vibrant.
Old Strathcona is a historic area, that sort of character and vibe is hard to replicate with newer buildings. It also is close to the University and draws a lot of people from further south and, an arts crowd and has good nightlife.
And agreed, density isn’t a silver bullet. But it’s definitely part of the chicken and egg dance. Oliver exchange, Paul Kane, Manchester square, 102ave bike lanes, 124th grand market, 124th BIA, these have all strengthened the area the last 5 years alone. 5 more years can see significant shifts.
124th is getting more street upgrades. Oliver is getting neighborhood renewal. There’s a half dozen residential projects in the pipeline. New bike lanes/grid to west central will improve access. The west LRT will finish in about 5 years. These will all help immensely.
Add in the potential redo of Oliver Park (pool/rink/playground/dog park). A few more residential projects that’ll surely pop up, hopefully some new retail on 124th and I really think the area starts to rival whyte.