The City of Edmonton's drive to encourage infill development — the construction of new homes in established and mature neighbourhoods — has partially manifested itself through a series of educational online videos that chronicle infill success stories. With so many recent projects fitting the bill, the City has doubled their video showcase to 12, adding six new features to its infill stories series.

Among the featured developments is Westgate Manor, a new 20-unit infill building composed of reused shipping containers from Canada's West Coast. The construction process was speedy and environmentally friendly, and in the end, matched the appearance of the property's existing structures.

The shared-use Ritchie Market houses some of Edmonton's hottest new artisan and independent businesses in a unified space, boosting the revitalization efforts of the area and bringing new life to an older slice of the city. The fledgling local landmark won the People's Choice Award and the Award of Excellence in Urban Architecture at Edmonton's 2017 Urban Design Awards.

The historic Crawford Block has been preserved in situ and a five-storey addition brings micro apartment suites to the site. The development is cited as an excellent example of how heritage and infill objectives can be met under one roof.

A smaller scale project in the 124 Street area shows how urban-minded Edmontonians are doing their part in the push for gentle density. An energy-efficient garden suite, capped by solar panels and partially clad in a thermal wall, was built in the backyard of one resident. Another video spotlights a multi-generational family in the Bellevue neighbourhood, who now lives across two standalone suites on a single property.

A final video provides a brief glimpse of how the City has taken steps since 2014 to improve the infill construction experience. The City also has a number of other planning-related videos posted on their website, including informative introductions to topical issues like transit-oriented development, zoning and overlays, and permits and signage.

Next week, residents are being given the opportunity to shape the future of infill development in the city. Edmontonians are invited to review the compiled draft infill actions on Wednesday, January 17 from 5 to 8 PM in the City room at City Hall. Those interested in attending are advised to consult the Evolving Infill website ahead of the meeting.