An apparent mass exodus of restaurants and bars from the downtown core this month is the latest in the conversation about Edmonton’s inner city viability. Since June, at least five businesses in downtown Edmonton have announced their closure. Some cited reasons on social media. Others – like Playwright, or KB&Co, tacked a sign to their affected brick-and-mortars. Greta Bar, an arcade game chain with locations in some Canadian cities, announced it would close its seven-year-old Edmonton location last week. As the shock settled online, cofounder Chris DeCock took to the Greta website to lament the Edmonton location. In his piece, he doesn’t blame one singular decision or setback for Greta’s closure. “It wasn’t one tax increase. It wasn’t patio fees. It wasn’t paid parking. It wasn’t hybrid work. It wasn’t safety. It wasn’t one construction project. It was death by a thousand cuts,” he wrote. On Wednesday, DeCock explained that it simply came down to whether downtown Edmonton was worth investing in. Despite making some money in Edmonton, he explained the Greta locations in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary were simply more viable. “We had to make a decision, whether we thought downtown was going to continue to improve, or if it was going to go on the trajectory that it’s been going,” he told CTV News Edmonton. “Downtown Edmonton, from an investment, from a return, is the single worst out of all of them, and it’s for very tangible reasons.” And while those reasons are indeed what’s listed above – expensive operational fees, paid parking, lack of office occupancy and ongoing construction – the bottom line for DeCock is that “people create the energy.” “Look at what other downtown cores have. They’ve got vitality. They’ve got energy.” Downtown Indian restaurant Khazana also closed earlier this month for what they said were ongoing construction challenges. Owner Mehaik Bhasin says the location was almost completely inaccessible. “This was something that had to be closed. Maybe in the future we can come back. But at this moment, downtown is not a place anybody wants to be,” he said Wednesday. What will it take to create downtown vibrancy? Kris Harvey, who used to own a night club and restaurant downtown, believes downtown culture could take years to rebuild. “It’s a multi-tiered approach, as (with) any major city. …Finishing projects, finishing this LRT, working day and night to make sure we have construction open and accessibility for people to be able to come and go,” he said. He also said buildings in the inner city need to be filled with workers, people need to have accessible hotels and businesses, and there needs to be a reason to make the trek that isn’t an Edmonton Oilers game in Ice District. “They’re relying on Connor McDavid to have a good season. They’re relying on the Fan Park to have great events and festivals,” he said. Like DeCock, Harvey also wants to see some ‘vitality’ outside of playoff season. “It’s as simple as saying, ‘I want to be part of a city. I understand part of my responsibility is to make sure we’re keeping it dense.’ … Calgary does that, Toronto does that, Montreal does that, Vancouver does that. Edmonton does not do that.” Construction, viability, safety and lack of workers in downtown Edmonton have long been on city council’s collective mind. Downtown events, performances and festivals are specifically curated to increase foot traffic. Mayor Andrew Knack previously asserted he had tried to pass motions that would further compensate businesses affected by detractors like multi-year construction projects. Downtown area Coun. Anne Stevenson says she has more recently tried to do the same but has not received support from the rest of council. “Legislation has consistently reinforced that municipalities aren’t liable for the impacts of their construction projects,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday. She also says affordability challenges are hitting everyone. “There’s a lot of levers that the city doesn’t hold, unfortunately. Tariffs, the rising cost of food, the impact that people are experiencing at the gas pumps.” As for whether downtown is dying, Stevenson says “emphatically, no.” “I think it’s also important for Edmontonians to remember that they can be part of the solution. Visit your local businesses, support them.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Curtis Goodrum
