Divine downtown district on 96th to be renamed ‘Church Street’

The city is moving ahead this year to promote “Church Street” as a special downtown character area.

The district along 96th Street from 106th Avenue to 111th Avenue is home to 11 churches and other religious buildings, with another two less than a block away, according to a city report.

The structures were built between 1901 and 1971.

There has often been talk that this high concentration of religious facilities won a mention for Church Street in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, although a company archivist says that isn’t true.

But under a plan approved Wednesday by council’s executive committee, the thoroughfare will come in for local recognition, including being renamed Church Street and looking at zoning changes to protect its heritage character.

As well, the city will install interpretive plaques, improve landscaping, repaint decorative lights and mark a shared bicycle route.

The work will cost about $500,000 and be finished within two years, the report says.

“It’s an incredible street. … It’s a very cool community,” Councillor Jane Batty said.

In the long term, planners are looking at a $10-million streetscaping proposal that could include wider sidewalks, special street furniture, lights, trees and other improvements. However, that idea has not yet been worked out and no money has been approved.