The City of Edmonton said a new space for connection and community is coming to the downtown as it begins construction on the Warehouse Park Project (WPP). Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said as it plans to become a city of two million people, it must become greener. “Part of that is ensuring all residents have access to high-quality parks and open spaces,” said Sohi in a press release. “This new downtown park will provide a place for downtown residents, students, workers and visitors to gather, rest and recharge in the heart of our city.”In Warehouse Park, the City of Edmonton said it will have wide-open lawn space with a hill for tobogganing in the winter, an off-leash dog park, a pavilion with washrooms and community space, a playground, and an outdoor exercise area. It said picnic tables and other site furniture will be available for use by downtown workers, residents, students, and visitors. “The park will provide much-needed green space for residents and visitors to enjoy, the tree canopy will provide much-needed shade on hot days and the outdoor space will allow for year-round enjoyment of outdoor activities, including winter activations in our ‘winter city,’” said Downtown Community League President Cheryl Probert.“The pavilion provides space for community members to gather, and the washrooms within will provide respectful access to all who need it.”It said Warehouse Park was designed as a place to socialize, celebrate and relax and is an important catalyst project aimed at attracting private investment in the downtown core. Once it is completed, it said it should encourage more people to consider choosing downtown Edmonton as a place to live.Edmonton Downtown Business Association Executive Director Puneeta McBryan predicted it “is going to be an absolute game-changer in the path to making Edmonton’s Downtown a true high-density, complete community.”“As our city grows, our downtown becomes even more important as both an economic driver and as our most dense and connected neighbourhood,” said McBryan. “This park will serve as a gathering place for tens of thousands of residents, workers, and visitors and a centrepiece for this area of our downtown.”Construction on the WPP is expected to take two years. It is anticipated to be done and open to the public by the end of 2025. Warehouse Park is a temporary project name. The Edmonton Naming Committee is working to select the official name.As part of the WPP, a portion of 107 Street north of Jasper Avenue and south of 102 Avenue was closed in June and will be integrated into it. The City of Edmonton said access to laneways north and south of the park boundaries will remain open during construction and will be maintained as part of the design. It said the current capital budget to construct the WPP is $44.8 million. Funding was approved by Edmonton city council through the Capital City Downtown Community Revitalization Levy.
