This week, council is set to vote on the proposed public spaces bylaw, a rezoning to allow a Nordic spa in the river valley, and establishing a new standing committee on infrastructure.
There is a public hearing scheduled on Feb. 24 and a city council meeting scheduled on Feb. 25 and 26.
Here are key items on this week's agenda:
- Council is scheduled to vote on the public spaces bylaw at a meeting on Feb. 25 after more than 50 people shared their opinions at a committee meeting earlier this month. Some speakers expressed fear the bylaw would disproportionately harm vulnerable Edmontonians, while some business leaders said the bylaw would help staff and customers feel safer in core areas. The committee removed restrictions on protests, skateboarding, and feeding feral cats from the bylaw.
- A rezoning application that would allow Scandinave Group to build a Nordic spa in the river valley is scheduled to be reviewed by council at a public hearing on Feb. 24. Residents in support of the application said it would bring a unique amenity to the city and increase neighbourhood vibrancy, while those opposed said congestion and parking are concerns, and that housing should be prioritized. The spa is proposed at the former location of Soaring House, left to the University of Alberta by Sandy Mactaggart. The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations opposes the rezoning. In an open letter, the group said the proposed rezoning would allow for private development below the river bank and that the application did not meet the duty to consult First Nations.
- Council is scheduled to discuss establishing a new standing committee that would focus on infrastructure and would have the same procedures as its community and public services, urban planning, and executive committees. Standing committees are typically made up of four council members who discuss reports before making recommendations to the rest of council. The proposed mandate for the new infrastructure committee includes capital project development and delivery; cost, schedule, and scope progression for both growth and renewal components of the capital plan; and progress on the capital plan. Council could create a motion to form the committee at a meeting on Feb. 25, and the committee could start holding meetings by April.
- Administration is scheduled to provide an update on major construction projects on routes in and out of downtown, including bridge renewal projects that recently drew the ire of the Edmonton Downtown Revitalization Coalition. Five bridges are slated for repair in the next few years. The coalition's chair, Cheryll Watson, said the construction could hamper downtown's recovery, especially paired with roadwork for the Valley Line West LRT along Stony Plain Road NW, 156th Street NW, and 87th Avenue NW. A report scheduled to be presented to council at a meeting on Feb. 25 clarifies that in 2025 and 2026, only a maximum of two bridges will be closed simultaneously. In 2025, the Wellington Bridge will be closed, the Dawson Bridge will have lane reductions during off-peak hours, and the southbound Low Level Bridge will have lane reductions. In 2026, the Wellington Bridge will remain closed, the northbound Low Level Bridge will be closed, and the Dawson Bridge and southbound Low Level Bridge will reopen. Administration said it does not recommend delaying renewal because the construction is needed to address safety and functional concerns and prevent unplanned closures. Troy Pavlek, co-host of Taproot's civic affairs podcast Speaking Municipally, wrote a blog post analyzing traffic volumes on the bridges set for renewal.
- Council is scheduled to review rezoning applications in Crestwood, Ritchie, and McKernan at a public hearing on Feb. 24.
- Council will receive verbal updates on Dutch elm disease, potential U.S. tariffs, and collective bargaining at a meeting on Feb. 25.
Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.