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Rome wasn't built in a day, and the same can be said about the highly anticipated Blatchford Development. Set to totally transform 536 acres at the site of the old City Centre Airport, the development will become one of the largest sustainable communities in the world. The City of Edmonton recently approved the development's renewable energy strategy — a District Energy Sharing System that will provide energy-efficient heating, cooling, and hot water to homes and buildings — and now, major construction has begun. The latest newsletter from blatchfordedmonton.ca describes some of the work that will be undertaken this year, as crews start to prepare the site for the first phase of residential units and a portion of the proposed central park.
Workers are now servicing the property for the 250 condominiums and townhome units that partially comprise the first stage of development, Blatchford West, which will eventually contain 6,000 mid-rise condominiums, townhomes, and apartments. Another 4,000 townhomes and apartments will be built in Blatchford East.
Since a new neighbourhood is being created from scratch, underground utilities need to be installed. This includes water lines along with the sanitary and storm sewers. The infrastructure to accommodate the District Energy Sharing System is also being put into place. Estimated to begin in late 2017, this will necessitate the drilling of boreholes for shallow geo-exchange, and the construction of the building that will house the required energy equipment.
The neighbourhood's road network will take shape after the underground utilities are completed. Where garage suites will be permitted, laneways have been designed with special landscaping and lighting, which will allow these secondary roads to look and feel like a typical street. This year will also mark the reveal of the development's homebuilders following a competitive selection process. Units are expected to enter pre-sales in 2018, giving prospective buyers the chance to reserve their spots.
About the same size as the downtown core, the vast property represents an enormous amount of potential. Over 33,000 residents will move into a newly christened neighbourhood, which will include a vibrant town centre, 80-acre central park, a civic plaza, and a plethora of green space.
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