WEM balks at bridge replacement
Residents worry seniors won’t be comfortable crossing 170 Street
Officials at West Edmonton Mall demolished a well-used footbridge over 170 Street this month after repairs proved cost prohibitive.
But now the area’s city councillor says the mall is fighting a city requirement to replace it.
It means a long detour through busy intersections for the many seniors and other residents in the area, said Ward 1 Coun. Andrew Knack, who’s worried the fight will mean direct access won’t be restored until at least next year.
There are several seniors apartment complexes near the former walkway.
Without the bridge, residents will have to walk to 87 Avenue to cross 170 Street.
But there are six busy lanes of traffic — eight lanes including turn lanes — and people struggle to make it across before the light changes.
“A lot of our seniors don’t feel comfortable crossing there,” Knack said in an interview Thursday.
The issue started earlier this year when West Edmonton Mall officials started planned rehabilitation on the bridge. But it turned out to be in bad shape.
It was deemed to be cheaper to demolish and replace the bridge than to restore it, said Knack, who posted an update on Facebook after hearing from many worried constituents.
The City of Edmonton granted a demolition permit on the condition the mall rebuild the bridge. The bridge is now demolished, but Knack said mall officials are planning to appeal the requirement to rebuild it to the city’s subdivision and development appeal board.
He said that appeal hearing is tentatively scheduled for September.
West Edmonton Mall officials said they’re still in negotiations with the city.
They question whether the bridge is still needed since a new LRT line will have a pedestrian bridge one block south. They’ll present those arguments at the appeal.
In the meantime, said general manager Danielle Woo in a written statement:
“If you are a resident of the impacted neighbourhood(s), please feel free to email us your thoughts on the bridge — positive or negative. Community input is extremely meaningful to us.”
At the location of the demolished footbridge Thursday, several people still crossed by jumping the fence and jaywalking across 170 Street to get to and from the mall or transit centre.
“We just had to walk all the way around with my grandmother,” said Corey MacKay, who then cut across where the bridge was when he ran back across to retrieve his bank card.
The only legal crossings are at 87 and 95 avenues. “It’s a major inconvenience,” he said.
Many seniors moved into homes just east of 170 Street because of the easy mall access, said Roger Breault, who lives at Laurier House.
But they won’t go to 87 Avenue because it’s too dangerous, he said.
“Most of them are staying home now. They’re not going out anymore, which is a real shame, especially in the summer.”
Knack did not have details on why the bridge is West Edmonton Mall’s responsibility.
He said he believes it was a requirement when the owner originally received zoning approval for the mall.
City officials declined interviews. In a written statement, director of infrastructure maintenance Eduardo Sosa said they are working with mall officials to minimize pedestrian impact.
Knack said this time it looks like the city is taking the need for pedestrian access seriously and city officials will argue the city ’s case at the appeal board hearing.
As for residents, he said in his Facebook post, “if you believe this bridge should be replaced, consider attending the meeting and registering to speak.”