Local residents can now get their first glimpse at three possible redevelopment themes for Innisfail’s downtown core.
The information, which includes ideas for an area redevelopment plan, three possible streetscape designs for the 50th Street reconstruction, a draft downtown strategic action plan, and the project’s expected construction schedule, have been posted on the town’s website, www.townofinnisfail.com in advance of an open house next month.
Craig Teal, the director of planning and development with the Town of Innisfail, encouraged all interested stakeholders to attend the Dec. 1 open house at École Innisfail Middle School to have their say on the downtown’s revitalization.
“Basically, at this stage it’s open to everyone,” Teal said. “Everyone in the community has an interest – it’s not by invitation. It’s a very broad, open process to residents, business owners, (and) property owners that want to pop in and see what we’ve come up with in terms of draft directions.”
The area redevelopment plan provides direction for the future development of private properties downtown, while the strategic action plan deals with programming and organization, and other non “bricks and mortar” items like events and activities, Teal explained.
“Things that are nonetheless important to making the area exciting and interesting for people to come down and spend some time,” he said.
The three streetscape design themes – Sunrise/Sunset, Motion and Flow, and Modern West - show enhanced landscaping, widened sidewalks and street furniture from 53rd Street to 44th Avenue.
“One of the key things we’re interested in getting people’s thoughts on is which one strikes the most chords with them, in terms of which collection of furniture do they like the most. Which collection of lamp or appearance of light post do they like the most,” Teal explained. “What’s their general sense or feeling about those three themes.”
Teal said the open house will also include information on the techniques that will be used to minimize the impact of construction, as well as information on detours and alternate parking during the three-year construction period from 2012-14.
The first phase of construction will begin in the spring at the west end of 50th Street near 53rd Street and the C.N. railroad tracks.
“We’re hoping, all things being told, (to begin in) early May,” Teal said. “But things have to cooperate with us.”
Teal said work will be done in a 16-week construction cycle with each block taking up to eight weeks.
“We’re hoping in that first phase that we get up to the 49th Avenue intersection,” he said.
A fourth construction period, on the portion of 50th Street from 44th Avenue to Highway 2A, could include the installation of a gateway feature over 50th Street sometime in 2015.
“We haven’t gone to that level of detail, so that remains to be worked out,” Teal said.
The open house will be held in IMS’s student gathering area between 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 1. Enter off of 52nd Avenue.
