Associated Engineering plays role in realizing City of Edmonton’s new “City Vision”

Strathearn Heights Redevelopment project consultant team received the 2008 Award of Merit from the Alberta Association of Canadian Institute of Planners

The City of Edmonton’s Council recently developed a new “City Vision” – a creative description of the city’s future that will help to set direction, guide decisions, and align the priorities of the city. As part of this new vision, the city has initiated a number of projects centered around providing affordable housing, making sure that the river front property is stable and safe, prioritizing the placement of natural and
public spaces, and revitalizing older neighbourhoods and schools to create vibrant centres for community interaction. The projects focus on a more balanced use of dwelling densities, mixed-use zoning, and place-making which recognizes the strategic importance of building neighbourhoods differently.

Associated Engineering is working with a team of consultants on 14 projects in the northeast, downtown, south, and southeast sectors of the city. The projects’ goals are to incorporate a mixed use of commercial and high density residential.The redevelopment builds on each community’s current amenities and offers residents expanded opportunities for an exciting quality of life while introducing a new standard of quality for urban architectural design in Edmonton.

Two of the projects have garnered awards.

The Canadian Urban Institute presented the City of Edmonton with the 2008 Brownie Award for the development of the previously unused lands bordering Fort Road as part of the Station Pointe project. The Station Pointe project has created a new vision for a transit-oriented, urban village and redevelopment in the area, creating a higher density, walkable, mixed-use environment around a transit centre, optimizing use of existing public transit and creating mobility options for residents.

The Canadian Urban Institute's (CUI) Annual National Brownie Awards program recognizes leadership, innovation and environmental sustainability in brownfields development across Canada.

The second project to receive an award was the Strathearn Heights development, which won the 2008 Award of Merit from the Alberta Association of Canadian Institute of Planners. The planning and design objective for Strathearn Heights is the development of an urban village integrated with the greater neighbourhood. The redevelopment of Strathearn Apartments in a mature Edmonton neighbourhood will build on the community’s current amenities to become a vibrant, urban village that offers a mix of residential and commercial uses to meet residents’ daily needs and encourage social interaction. The result will be a dynamic, new urban village that will revitalize an aging neighbourhood with convenient new amenities, interesting and usable green and open spaces, and a mix of homes for purchase or rent that will attract a broad range of residents.

Strathearn Heights, is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighbourhood Development (LEED-ND) pilot project. LEED-ND acknowledges that more than a third of greenhouse gases and a similar share of other environmental impacts are generated by buildings (primarily heating and cooling them), but another third is generated transporting people and goods to and from those buildings. The most powerful strategy for achieving environmental sustainability is incorporating high-performance buildings in compact, mixed-use neighbourhoods that reduce driving by making walking and transit attractive options for commuting and other trips.

The Brownie Award was presented to the City of Edmonton on October 23, 2008 for the Station Pointe Subdivision Project

Associated Engineering is providing conceptual and detailed design, construction services, and overall project management. Our scope of work includes design of the roads, watermain, sanitary and storm sewers, stormwater management facilities, and utilities (power, gas, telephone, and cable).

Project Engineer, Heather Halter advises, “Project challenges include working with the city to develop specific roadway design standards that are compatible with the neighbourhood streetscape plans.” Graham Sterparn is the Project Manager for these projects.