Episode 212 of Speaking Municipally looks at the context surrounding neighbourhood renewal work in Ottewell and its impact on parking.
Construction of new roads, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and other street infrastructure will take place in Ottewell this spring, following preparation work that began last month. The project will result in the loss of some on-street parking, which has frustrated some residents.
But there may be a silent majority in the neighbourhood who welcome the changes, co-host Troy Pavlek suggested, noting that Ottewell was one of the six communities that piloted the 40 km/h speed limit before it was implemented city-wide.
"And the primary reason that Ottewell had greater than 66% of residents on board was because the design of the neighbourhood, with its wide expansive roads and large corners, led to speeding," Pavlek said. "The residents banded together and agreed that they needed to combat speeding in the neighbourhood."
Coun. Ashley Salvador, who represents the area, confirmed that some streets are being narrowed to encourage drivers to slow down, and said there's still ample on-street parking in the neighbourhood.
"Going forward, if parking pressures are experienced in the neighbourhood, the city has a multitude of tools that we can put in place as part of our curbside management strategy to abate any negative outcomes," Salvador told Global News.
Hear more about this, as well as the end of Edmonton's NextGen with new Taproot reporter Colin Gallant, the mayor's first meeting with Premier Danielle Smith, and the city's 2022 surplus, on the March 10 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast.