City starts phasing in pedestrian takeover of 83 Ave
The street in front of the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market will be closed to vehicles nearly every weekend from the middle of July until the end of August as the city phases in a complete pedestrianization of 83 Avenue.
The city and market are partnering to use a one-block section of the street for 83 Ave Since '83, an event that will see market vendors spill out onto the street on July 26 and 27, and Aug. 2, 3, 30, and 31. The event's first weekend was July 19 and 20, and was themed around games and play. The next three events are themed around transportation, pets, and international culture, respectively. The street, as usual, will also be closed to vehicles from Aug. 14 to 24, during the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.
These temporary closures are part of the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy, which the city finalized in 2024. One of seven actions in the strategy is to permanently close 83 Avenue to vehicles between Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard. Stakeholders recommended that the city trial temporary closures during festivals and events before permanently closing the street to vehicles.
Corinne Olson, manager of the farmers' market, told Taproot that she agrees with closing the avenue to vehicles during weekend market events, but doesn't see the need for it to be closed during the rest of the week.
"We're just trying to make (the market) work within the space we have leased with the city — working with them, instead of them doing something (independently)," Olson said. "It was beneficial for us to take over the avenue to show what we can offer."
Olson said she would like to be able to expand the market onto 83 Avenue every weekend from spring to fall, but that such programming requires extra staff and budget, and that the market wouldn't be able to afford to run the current series without the city's financial support.
When it comes to financial support, the event series is funded, in part, through revenue from the gravel parking lot east of Gateway Boulevard. The City of Edmonton took over management of that lot in April, transitioning it from free, two-hour parking during the market to $2.50 per hour.
The Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy calls for the parking lot to eventually be decommissioned and turned into a park, which the farmers' market and many other nearby businesses and arts organizations oppose. Until a few months ago, the market leased the parking lot from the city and offered patrons free parking during the market hours. Council voted 8-4 to use parking revenue from the lot to support events and amenities in Old Strathcona. Councillors Tim Cartmell, Jennifer Rice, Erin Rutherford, and Karen Principe opposed.
The market still leases its building from the city, and its new lease agreement requires the market to be active on more than one day a week. The market recently expanded to be open on Sundays and is constructing a store in the southeast corner of the building. Olson said she hopes the store will be open by September. "We don't have a dairy farmer in the market, because they're so busy that they don't have the capacity to be at a farmers' market," she said. "We're bringing dairy in because what corner store doesn't have milk?"
