Holyrood Gardens back to drawing board

Edmonton’s new council sent the contentious Holyrood Gardens project back to the drawing board Monday, saying the towers just don’t fit beside one- and two-storey homes. The group voted 8-5 on a referral motion to redesign the project to comply with city guidelines on the width of the towers and recommended transitions between tall buildings and existing low-density neighbourhoods.

“I do not want to kill this project,” said area Coun. Ben Henderson. But he added “if we stray too far away (from the city guidelines), we end up with a free-for-all that doesn’t serve anybody.”

The project was the first large, contentious zoning decision for the newly elected council.

Councillors Michael Walters, Moe Banga, Jon Dziadyk, Sarah Hamilton and Tony Caterina voted against the referral motion.

Voting for Henderson’s motion to refer were Mayor Don Iveson and councillors Scott McKeen, Bev Esslinger, Tim Cartmell, Aaron Paquette, Mike Nickel and Andrew Knack.

Community representatives celebrated after the vote.

“It’s been a long journey. We’re very exhausted, but we’re satisfied,” said Dave Sutherland, spokesman for the Holyrood Development Committee, which attended three days of public hearings.

They want redevelopment and increased density, but were opposed to the height of the three towers (22- and 18-storeys), the way it might force traffic back into the Holyrood neighbourhood.