Local group wants pedestrian-friendly green space amendment for renewal project

Paths For People would like a connector road that links neighbourhoods along Mill Creek Ravine closed to vehicles. Nahreman Issa reports.

A local advocate group is asking the City of Edmonton to reconsider its plans for the 76 Avenue renewal project.

Paths for People, an organization aiming to create safer commuting conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, is hoping the city will renaturalize the Mill Creek Ravine area.

The city plans to replace the 102-year-old Mill Creek Ravine trestle bridge and turn the culvert – which is beyond repair – underneath the bridge into a vehicle bridge.

This is part of a larger project to revamp 76 Avenue from 99 Street to 75 Street.

Brandon Kwong from Paths for People, told CTV News Edmonton there’s an opportunity for the city to turn the area into a greener, more pedestrian-friendly space.

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“We are proposing and engaging the public in the idea to potentially close this small stretch of road to vehicle traffic and renaturalize it (and) turn it into a green park space for people who walk, roll, and cycle,” Kwong said on Monday.

He said turning it into a green space would make the area “more desirable and friendly” for people to enjoy.

“No matter what way it turns out, having that public engagement (is) helping us all understand what the trade offs are and what the different factors are to consider it’s going to be a positive thing in the year.”

Coun. Ashley Salvador said on Monday the city is “still learning about the concept that (Paths for People is) putting forward.”

“Overall, being able to renew and revitalize 76 Avenue is an important part of building communities where everyone can get around in ways that work for them,” she said.

She added the goal is to not only to renew the infrastructure that’s currently there, but to improve it along the way.

According to Coun. Salvador, the renewal project is still in the early stages of planning and there aren’t a lot of details at this point.

The renewal project is scheduled to begin in late 2025.

For more information on the Paths for People proposal or to get involved, click on the link.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Nahreman Issa.