Pop-up park opens in downtown Edmonton

Edmonton — A pop-up park located at 107 Street and 101 Avenue opened to the public on Wednesday.

According to the Downtown Business Association (DBA), it’s the future site of the Warehouse Campus Neighbourhood Central Park, but for now it’s an outdoor space for the community to enjoy.

Root 107 features murals by local artists, seating areas made out of recycled materials and food trucks. The space was designed and built by Thirdspace Design Group and is part of Downtown Spark, a series of exhibitions and experiences being held downtown.

Scheduled food trucks at the park will include:

Planning for the area started in February, when the DBA approached companies and asked them to envision transforming the 1.33 hectares of open lots into something that could be utilized throughout the summer and fall.

“During the pandemic, we’ve learned just how important urban public spaces are, as people seek ways to spend time outdoors and socialize while following public health restrictions,” Puneeta McBryan, executive director of the DBA, said.

According to the release, the funding for Downtown Spark has allowed the DBA to build the space. But, the DBA is working with the city to figure out how to keep Root 107 open from now until the fall.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity here to do something really special for downtown, stimulating investment in the area and helping to build on the community’s resiliency through grassroots-level design,” McBryan said.

Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, McBryan said the goal is for the DBA to work with other community organizations to provide programming and activities that “prioritize equality and inclusion.”

Check out the Downtown Spark website for more information.