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Touch the Water Promenade / River Valley "Seawall"

Didama said:
It doesn't add to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood because decade after decade we refuse to turn this area into anything remotely interesting. This would be the prime place to celebrate the history of the area; it's the crossroads of Indigenous and traders/settlers and could have an incredibly interesting story to tell, if executed properly. It's also an architecturally significant building because there is nothing else like it in the province, if in Western Canada. It's also damn photogenic, particularly next to the Walterdale and with the downtown skyline in the background. If Edmonton tears this building down, I will have lost all hope (it sounds dramatic, but it's true)
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The power plant looks a little like the Titanic with its monolith body and smoke stacks but its historic designation means that it will likely be around for years to come. Whether its developed into something usable is difficult to say. The historic designation, I believe, makes it eligible for maintenance funding from the overseeing government agencies but the designation also restricts some revisions to the building which makes it more difficult to repurpose. Some private capital will find the restrictions unappealing and walk away.
 
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Some interesting suggestions but the economic viability of any service related business is going to be challenged by the location of the building. It's a stand alone location without a significant local population base to support a service business which would mean attracting business from outside its immediate trading zone. That's not an easy thing for any service business to do. IanO's idea of a boutique hotel in the context of a larger scale development would play into the national park theme and would probably be worth exploring if things develop in that direction. A gondola hub could be viable and attractive to hotel guests in that scenario as well. If historical groups want the building's industrial legacy retained then it should be turned into a warehouse. Industrial equipment and supplies could be stored there - no problem. Not the best option in my opinion but that would prevent the building from being architecturally misappropriated by gentrification and allow everybody to more accurately remember and appreciate the contribution the building has made to the city's industrial past.
 
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I don't really buy the location excuse.

The residents of the Rossdale neighborhood have been bemoaning the lack of amenities nearby - well, such amenities will now be just a short 10 minute walk away.

From The Flats thread:
CaptainBL said:
For sale at just over $3MM. Developer wasnt entirely happy with how phase 1 went. Phase 1 performance coupled with the fact that the area has been and continues to be stagnant in terms lacking amenities, a grocery store, restaurants, etc. their outlooked soured and did not see a path forward, which will be the challenge for any buyer as well.

This area continues to be like most themes in Edmonton, so much potential so little action.
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Moreover, RE/MAX Field and the Riverhawks drew huge crowds this past summer, and the power plant is almost next door to it.
 
Didama said:
this wouldn't be an issue if we hadn't killed the privately funded gondola project. That still gets me. I understand the burial ground piece, but I feel like we threw the baby out with the bathwater. As it is, no one wins.
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I completely agree. It would even be worth it for ETS to build this link.
Out of Towner said:
But repurpose it into what?
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Look into the Winnipeg Forks. It's one of Winnipeg's best attractions imo.
 
Gronk! said:
Hot springs pools similar to Radium
Gym
Food hall/bistro/pub
Live venue/nightclub
Museum focusing on the history of Edmonton
Farmers market or grocery store

This requires far more imagination than your own suggestion to demolish it.
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The space is probably big enough to accommodate most or all of these. It could be a real community hub for Rossdale which doesn't have much of one now as well as a draw for visitors to the area.
 
Barnaby said:
Look into the Winnipeg Forks. It's one of Winnipeg's best attractions imo.
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Something like the Forks is exactly what Rossdale should be imo. I would also raise Granville Island in Vancouver as a potential inspiration. I also think that the old powerplant could be converted into something similar to the St Lawrence Market in Toronto.

A great inclusion would be some kind of First People's Museum or exhibit, specifically to commemorate the burial ground. I am not Indigenous so I can't speak on whether this would be sufficient, however I feel that building a type of community space that acknowledges the significance of the site would be far more respectful than what currently exists on the site.

Obviously, extensive consultation with descendant populations would be crucial.
 
So much opportunity for development in the area. Needs a bit of a bold and grand vision like Ice district to work, much like the quarters would need as a one off development might not be as successful (although the powerplant as a starting point would have the best chance).
 
To "touch" on to the Touch the Water aspect of the Riverside Promenade, once again chiming in from the City to the south with an Edmontonian perspective. I'll remove landscape hurdles (River Vallley is significantly steeper in most spots than Bow). Counter is floodplain issues for Calgary.

-Edmonton central Parks/River Valley = Better overall parks, naturescape,biking, mountain hiking, overall beauty. Recent comments from coworkers visits to Edmonton = so green, so lush, so many trees

-Calgary central parks/River Valley = More accessible, better waterfront, better amenties, better road biking, way more convenient from DT. Some of that is the steepness, but the Bow River Pathway is unparalleled. Office workers, tourists, homeless (🤫), bikes, tourists (you will hear Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, German, Dutch, etc). Different river/danger level, but on a busy weekend the Bow is literally filled with floats, canoes, paddleboards. Tourists in general in the summer, looking for the Calgary Tower lol!

Point here is despite all the wins for Calgary on dollars & thought put into its riverway, IMO the River Valley in Edmonton still has some of my favorite spots (Emily Murphy, Ledge Grounds, Gov Hills, Queen E, Hawrelak, Laurier & the west side ravines, Gold Bar, Gallaher/Muttart, trails under the U of A. Two primo municipal courses plus accesible Highlands. You add the amazing private golf courses, Whitemud & Blackmud Creek, Hermitage, Ski Hills, Fort Ed, Baseball park, it's wild how much there is to offer.

Seeing the organic success of spots like the landscaped hill on south side of Walterdale and *Ezio Faraone Park, IMO if something ever happens with powerplant land, people will come. Cheers!

*spelling
 
JC_Yeg said:
To "touch" on to the Touch the Water aspect of the Riverside Promenade, once again chiming in from the City to the south with an Edmontonian perspective. I'll remove landscape hurdles (River Vallley is significantly steeper in most spots than Bow). Counter is floodplain issues for Calgary.

-Edmonton central Parks/River Valley = Better overall parks, naturescape,biking, mountain hiking, overall beauty. Recent comments from coworkers visits to Edmonton = so green, so lush, so many trees

-Calgary central parks/River Valley = More accessible, better waterfront, better amenties, better road biking, way more convenient from DT. Some of that is the steepness, but the Bow River Pathway is unparalleled. Office workers, tourists, homeless (🤫), bikes, tourists (you will hear Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, German, Dutch, etc). Different river/danger level, but on a busy weekend the Bow is literally filled with floats, canoes, paddleboards. Tourists in general in the summer, looking for the Calgary Tower lol!

Point here is despite all the wins for Calgary on dollars & thought put into its riverway, IMO the River Valley in Edmonton still has some of my favorite spots (Emily Murphy, Ledge Grounds, Gov Hills, Queen E, Hawrelak, Laurier & the west side ravines, Gold Bar, Gallaher/Muttart, trails under the U of A. Two primo municipal courses plus accesible Highlands. You add the amazing private golf courses, Whitemud & Blackmud Creek, Hermitage, Ski Hills, Fort Ed, Baseball park, it's wild how much there is to offer.

Seeing the organic success of spots like the landscaped hill on south side of Walterdale and *Ezio Faraone Park, IMO if something ever happens with powerplant land, people will come. Cheers!

*spelling
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Care to opine on the power plant building itself? It's nothing particularly special to me and may even be an obstacle to development. Others say that people like me just need to appreciate it more.
 
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