Blatchford project can meet its green goals, report says
Changes proposed for development at old airport
Changes are needed to plans for the massive Blatchford community, but the development should still meet its environmental goals, a new report says.
Ideas for pneumatic underground garbage collection across the entire district and a water reclamation system aren’t feasible, the report says.
It also rules out a proposed recreation lake for now, along with a sewage treatment plant and a park in the northeast corner of the former City Centre Airport.
However, almost 20 per cent of the 217-hectare site will be open space, about twice the amount in a conventional development.
Most of the eventual 30,000 residents will be within a two-minute walk of green space, the report says.
“Blatchford will be a worldleading sustainable development that is a microcosm of the type of growth Edmonton should strive for.”
There will be 40 hectares of open space, compared with the original 60 hectares, to allow more family housing, Blatchford executive director Mark Hall said Friday.
Construction of roads and sewers is expected to start this year, with 250 housing units going on sale next year and the first residents arriving in 2016 or 2017.
Planners are looking at constructing a shallow geothermal district energy system for the whole community and want building code changes to allow for the use of grey water.
Grey water is water from bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, and washing machines. It is not water that has come into contact with feces, either from the toilet or from washing diapers, and is used primarily for yard irrigation.
Parks will be irrigated with stormwater.
Underground garbage collection might work around higher density housing near the community’s north LRT station, although it would cost $20 million.
The scheme, intended to reduce garbage truck emissions and noise, would suck trash and recyclables through pipes to a central transfer station, Hall said.
“It’s basically an area-wide vacuum system.”
The report, going to city council Wednesday, warns buying out the leases from all the organizations once located at the airport could exceed the $73-million budget.
It also cautions significant delays in extending the northwest LRT to create two permanent Blatchford stations instead of the temporary NAIT stop will have an impact.
Council will be briefed in private on the financial benefits of various development options, but Hall said the preferred scenario produces “modest” city profits.
Coun. Bev Esslinger said she’s comfortable with the changes to the plans because the basic environmental principles have been maintained.
There will be 30 kilometres of walking trails and at least 10,000 people expected to work at the transit-oriented site, she said.
“It’s still 100-per-cent renewable energy, it’s still carbon neutral, it still reduces the ecological footprint,” she said.
“This is an exciting project for Edmonton … the initial plan was to have the largest green build in Canada.”