The Old Strathcona Business Association is proud to announce the addition of five parklets to Old Strathcona, marking the completion of their two-year placemaking project. These new pieces of permanent street furniture add to the already vibrant streets of Edmonton’s popular shopping and entertainment district, and provide visitors with places and spaces to enjoy snacks, socialize, and spend more time in Old Strathcona.
Over 50 pieces of colourful street furniture that improve visitor experience have been installed in Old Strathcona since Summer 2023.
Four of the five parklets are located on Whyte Avenue, with the fifth located in West Ritchie on 81st Avenue.
This accomplishment wraps up a two-year placemaking initative led by the OSBA, and funded in part by PrairiesCan, which aimed to
create more inclusive and accessible public spaces in the ever-popular shopping andentertainment destnation.
Over the years, the needs of visitors to Old Strathcona have evolved. Today, placemaking, walkability, and accessibility are a key focus. Visitors are more interested in public spaces in the
district, as evidenced by the success of temporary placemaking installations piloted during the pandemic.
“We know visitors want more public spaces to enjoy their time in Old Strathcona. In the years following the pandemic, we heard from both businesses and visitors that they would like to see
our temporary placemaking enhancements made permanent, so when the chance to obtain grant funding through PrairiesCan for such a project presented itself, we jumped at the
opportunity,” said Cherie Klassen, OSBA Executive Director.
“Now that the project is complete, I can’t wait to see our new parklet spaces utilized by families eating ice cream and friends
catching up while shopping in our district this summer!”
The project received federal funding through the Canada Community Revitalizaton Fund (CCRF).
The CCRF supported projects to revitalize downtown cores, outdoor spaces, and green infrastructure and was administered in Alberta by PrairiesCan.
More details on the project here.
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