Richard Poole, Mayor for the Town of Blackfalds (rdnewsNOW)

By Sheldon Spackman

Considered Approach

Council extends timelines for Centre Plaza and Gregg Street re-alignment in Blackfalds

Mar 5, 2020 | 2:57 PM

Timelines have been extended for the re-alignment of Gregg Street and the Centre Plaza project in Blackfalds.

The extended timelines were approved by council last week.

Mayor Richard Poole says the Gregg Street re-alignment has been part of the Town’s traffic studies since 2003.

“That was when it was first put forward as a need for our community, to make sure our traffic flows efficient, and is serving the town in the best manner,” he explains. “They required an east-west connector, and that’s what we’re providing right now with our Gregg Street re-alignment.”

Poole acknowledges there will be a portion of a manufactured mobile home park that will be impacted by the re-alignment.

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“Initially, when we were starting the process, we understood that the entire park was owned and operated by one person,” he recalls. “We found out that there are two owners within that area. We’ve decided to step back and make sure that all the citizens within that manufactured home park have the opportunity to understand what is happening and to be involved in what is happening.”

As a result, Poole says discussions remain ongoing with the park’s two owners.

As for the Centre Plaza project which aims to provide additional parking for the Multi-Plex expansion, and offer a year-round public gathering space for events and programming, Poole says it will eventually result in Broadway Avenue being closed at the nearby railroad tracks.

“That will allow us space to open up within that area,” says Poole. “Rather than just have it paved over or have it piecemealed together, we decide to put together a project called the Centre Plaza. This will be put forward in stages, accommodate parking for the new Multi-Plex, but also provide an opportunity for space for markets and different activities within our town.”

Poole says phases for the Centre Plaza project will likely be done in tandem with the Multi-Plex expansion.

“Right now we’re going to be doing half of it, and the other half will be gravel across the street until we re-align Gregg Street,” says Poole. “The Centre Plaza is going to be an exciting project, but we’re making sure that we move forward in stages that are going to be effective and finished off as we need them.”

Both the construction of the Multi-Plex expansion and the Centre Plaza are combined in the public tender process that is currently underway. The tender closing date is scheduled for Mar. 5 and was extended by a week following considerable requests by proponents indicating additional time was required.

Design, approvals, and the majority of land right of ways have been completed ahead of a planned construction start-up this spring.

However, as noted, the added complexities and processes anticipated with the nearby Gregg Street re-alignment, will delay any construction for that roadway in 2020.

According to Town documents, capital project funding assigned for the Gregg Street project for budget years 2020 and 2021 is approximately $4.0 Million.

Capital project funding for the Centre Plaza over the 2020 and 2021 budget years is in the amount of $2.5 Million.