Pursuing a Historic Urban Landscape Approach to Heritage in Edmonton

More documents

Info

APPENDIX C: OTHER EDMONTON AREAS TO CONSIDER LANDSCAPE APPROACHES TO HERITAGE 107 Avenue/Avenue of Nations The strip along 107 Avenue is home to people from all over the world including Africa, Middle Eastern countries, Cambodia, China, Indigenous, Italy, Japan, Latin America, Poland, and Ukraine. Often considered a rougher, more dangerous part of Edmonton, this community has had to deal with a harsh reputation and a lot of negative media attention. While the built environment may not illustrate a community with rich heritage and historical roots, the intangible, human stories are a hidden treasure in Edmonton. Through understanding how these stories link to the places and spaces people have created, whether spontaneously or designed, we can value the entanglement of story and place and acknowledge the necessity for both in a dynamic, authentic urban experience. Beverly Heights With the river framing the community on the southwest, the Beverly Heights neighbourhood also has ties to the river and a longstanding, active history. The current history of the community starts with the European settlers who came for the prospects of good soil and open space. Soon, coal was discovered and the removal of earth under the farmland began. The community grew on coal mining in the winter and farming in the summer with population booms and busts following the risky successes and failures of the coal mines. After the war, people from Edmonton were attracted to the community because of low housing prices and proximity to the city. The second bridge crossing the river and the Highway 16 helped connect the community and helped move people to and from Edmonton and Strathcona. Incorporated as a village in 1913, the community eventually amalgamated with Edmonton in 1961. The current neighbourhood sits between Rundle Park and Ada Boulevard and is well connected to the river and green spaces left from abandoned mining sites. While the coal mining history is rich in the area and still remains a memory for many community members today, the population is aging and changing. Ensuring that this history remains in the community is as important as reflecting the community that exists and recognising the diversity of histories that can be told of the same place. Mill Creek An oasis in the middle of the city is a thriving ecosystem of plants, animals and people. Initial plans in the 1960s called for the ravine to be turned into a thoroughfare similar to that currently at Groat Road. The combination of 3000 signatures on a petition against development, at the same time as a looming election eventually led to ravine development being taken off the agenda in 1964. In the 70s, the ravine was full of litter, eroding due to the roads above, and polluted. Finally in 1971, the freeway proposal was denied and the people have it back. Eventually the city connected this path system with paths along the North Saskatchewan River valley. While this history only goes back 50 years, there is a longer history of Cree people using and naming the Creek which is less known. The European histories are remembered through the naming of the Mill Creek reflecting the grist mill that was once operational at the end of the creek. The diverse histories of personal stories are remembered in City Archives, but less obvious in the ravine. The area is active with people moving through and taking advantage of the closeness to nature that exists here. Is there space in an already well used natural landscape to incorporate historical references or would bringing attention to the complexities that exist take away from the natural landscape that is well used today? 31
Griesbach The Canadian Forces Base Griesbach was developed in the 1950s and became available for new uses in the early 2000s. This 250ha space was already developed with arterial roads and partially occupied with commercial and industrial buildings. Existing trees, recreational and school sites were planned into the initial developments of the area as residential units began to fill the vacant land. As an area with military and federal government ties, there is an opportunity to integrate the culture and histories of the people who lived and worked in the area. While the existing roads may have new uses connecting communities, acknowledging the places roads connected in the past can provide a link to the past. As a new community designed under new urbanist ideals, the community lacks a connection to culture and history and an identity beyond that of the larger Edmonton community. As a secluded space between main thoroughfares and in the heart of older developments, there is an opportunity for Griesbach to find an identity that is their own through the connecting the culture that exists today with that of the past. 104th Street/City Market 104th Street just north of Jasper Avenue has experienced the sort of urban renewal that can inspire other streets around the city. What started as a desolate strip of parking lots and vacant warehouses is now a premier street for retail and restaurants in Edmonton’s downtown. A $3.1 million project lead by Edmonton planners to widen sidewalks, add benches and light posts and make the area friendlier to pedestrians was completed in 1999. This redevelopment along with tax discounts for the first 1000 residential units developed from converted warehouses led to people coming into the area to live. The Cecil Hotel on Jasper and 104 St. was a problem spot and eventually closed due to health violations. The community that moved in became more active in fighting proposals that didn’t fit the character of the street and City Council established new guidelines for new developments to reflect the historical elements of the warehouse district. While some developers may argue the guidelines are restrictive, the overall street appeal is necessary to maintain and a guideline approach may be the push that developers need to design their structures to benefit the entire community. Urban renewal has also been helped by closing of 104st for the Edmonton City Market on Saturday mornings throughout the summer. A Market that was strife with difficulty from permitting and location to lack of pedestrian traffic has a longstanding history in the lives of Edmontonians. However, the Market was also questioned as being antiquated and a reminder of the rural past that (very likely) didn’t reflect the City Beautiful Movement that city planners wanted. Where other towns and cities saw the farmers’ markets as central to their commercial areas and local economy, Edmonton pushed against the market. Eventually, the Market found a home on the newly revitalized 104st and remains there today. It is a hub of activity and brings the much needed food traffic to vendors and retailers along the Street. 32
Page 1 and 2: Pursuing a Historic Urban Landscape
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........
Page 5 and 6: HUL approaches in Edmonton. Issues
Page 7 and 8: modern [heritage] charters… were
Page 9 and 10: usefulness resides in the notion th
Page 11 and 12: KEY IDEAS FOR DEVELOPING A HUL APPR
Page 13 and 14: down planning activities to include
Page 15 and 16: MAPPING Mapping can be an important
Page 17 and 18: PRIORITIZING CONSERVATION AND DEVEL
Page 19 and 20: To do this, the city provides promo
Page 21 and 22: existing properties. This includes,
Page 23 and 24: “These gatherings have been a gra
Page 25 and 26: successful advocacy for the constru
Page 27 and 28: The West Rossdale area is an area w
Page 29 and 30: 5. MOVING FORWARD As mentioned at t
Page 31 and 32: considers cultural diversity and cr
Page 33: esults from Main Street successes a
Page 37 and 38: City of Edmonton (2017b) River Cros
Page 39 and 40: Shipley, R. (2004) Townscape Herita
Page 41 and 42: FURTHER READING Agisheva, S. (2015)
Page 43: ABOUT US Both the City-Region Studi

Pursuing a Historic Urban Landscape Approach to Heritage in Edmonton

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?