City to force sale of land for new downtown park

Expropriation to target gravel lots along 107 Street in the Warhouse District

Councillors voted Wednesday to back a process that would force four downtown landowners to sell their property to build a new city park.

The park is being designed for a series of 18 lots on both sides of 107 Street, an area slightly bigger than Churchill Square.

The land covered by the expropriation is owned by four different companies and is currently a series of gravel parking lots north of Audreys Books and Boston Pizza.

“These sites have remained undeveloped for at least two decades,” said senior planner Duncan Fraser, calling the project an important catalyst for residential development.

“It’s what planners call beachfront property, if you will,” said Gary Klassen, deputy city manager for sustainable development. “We need this kind of development to occur in this area.”

The Warehouse District is an area currently dominated by large surface gravel parking lots. It sits between the dense residential neighbourhood of Oliver and the downtown business district with its tall office towers.

Council approved the idea of a park in the downtown Warehouse District in 2010, with funding approved in 2014 through a downtown community revitalization levy tied to construction of Rogers Place.

Coun. Scott McKeen, whose ward covers that area, said he thinks the lots have been vacant much longer than two decades.

“I wonder if it might even be the 1960s or ’70s,” said McKeen, suggesting many landowners tore down their old buildings to reduce property taxes. “I’m really thrilled. I’ve heard countless times from downtown residents how they aspire to have a full neighbourhood downtown.”

He called it a “more important catalyst project than the (downtown) arena for creating a neighbourhood downtown.”

Council’s urban planning committee voted unanimously to start expropriation proceedings on Wednesday.

It still needs to go to council next Tuesday to become official.

Expropriation proceedings against all four landowners could take a year, with city officials trying to negotiate a fair price with the land owners and going to the provincial Land Compensation Board if no agreement can be reached. Planners said they are close to a deal with one of the largest land holders.

Fraser said the park can be on both sides of 107 Street because the LRT will eventually turn north at the intersection of 102 Avenue and 107 Street. That will make the south part of that street relatively useless for traffic.

Assembling the land is the first step.

Then planners would consult with local residents to design the park, likely including a dog run and play space for families.