The City of Fort Saskatchewan held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to signify the go-ahead of the Downtown Action Plan.
Two new parklets were added, with one on 102 Street having a shaded area, and lights were added around trees in the downtown core. Other projects include enhanced landscaping and adding picnic tables.
“This is the first step as far as doing some beautification, trying to get people to come downtown and make it a walkable downtown,” explained Fort Saskatchewan's mayor Gale Katchur.
The federal government recently invested $97,000 to help with several downtown infrastructure improvements.
A marketing campaign with a downtown-specific website is already in motion.
Beautifying plans:
- All tables added to parklets will have QR codes to direct people to the new downtown website, where restaurant menus and contact information will be centralized. The QR code will also provide a map of other businesses and amenities in the area.
- New wayfinding and destination signage to bring people downtown.
- At least two new murals in the downtown area to activate and beautify under-utilized spaces.
- Downtown development incentives to encourage residential and mixed-use development in the city’s downtown core.
Future projects:
- Beautifying and activating vacant storefronts and properties.
- A review and possible expansion of business development, tourism, and community grant programs.
- New city-led events.
There are also new funding initiatives for people who are looking to build property or revitalize a vacant space. Those details can be found on the city's website.
“We have to have people living downtown and congregating down here. This definitely is where we want to have our festivities and events and getting people down here is the key.”