Coliseum demolition pegged for the 'short term' as part of Northlands site redevelopment into transit villages
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Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum is targeted for demolition in the “short term” as one of the first steps in the proposed redevelopment project on the site.
A demolition date hasn’t been set, but the city plans for the arena to meet the wrecking ball in order to make way for a transit-oriented development as part of the larger 81-hectare project spanning across the current Northlands area.
The final proposal for the Exhibition Lands redevelopment will face a public hearing Nov. 3 before council votes on moving forward. The plan includes two transit villages consisting of residential and commercial space adjacent to LRT stations. If approved, the redevelopment would take place over the next 30 years.
Removal of the longtime home of the Edmonton Oilers would be one of the first steps along with the reconfiguration and expansion of Borden Park and a new LRT station at 115 Avenue, the city said in its final draft of the redevelopment planning framework.
Steven Townsend, president of the neighbouring Parkdale Cromdale Community League, said the organization supports revitalization of the area and is looking forward to seeing it reactivated. Once completed, the site will be able to accommodate about 7,500 residents in a mix of housing options, from single-detached homes to mid-rise apartment buildings spanning to 12 storeys tall.
“The community is in favour of redeveloping the land. We don’t want buildings sitting there getting derelict like the racetrack and whatnot, so in terms of that I would say it’s a positive development,” he said in an interview with Postmedia Friday. “Increased LRT stations is also good provided that there’s some good development around them that happens. We want to see more density in the area, but we want to make sure that services and whatnot can keep up with that influx of population.”
Initial estimated costs for the Coliseum demolition are believed to be at the upper end of the $15-$25 million range, but city spokesman Ashish Mohan said this is subject to change based on further environmental site assessments. A concrete timeframe hasn’t been set and the city hasn’t determined who will perform the removal.
Currently, the city is paying $1.5 million a year to maintain and secure the empty building. The Oilers played their last game at the Coliseum in April 2016.
The planned redevelopment will also have implications for Northlands and their events hosted on the site, including the K-Days festival each summer. Northlands currently has an agreement to host K-Days and Farmfair International until at least 2022. An option to extend for another five years is on the table with negotiations expected to take place by the end of 2020.
The Edmonton Expo Centre will remain standing as one of the main anchors of the development to host major events. Opportunities for hotels or commercial space to complement the centre will be available to the east.
If the redevelopment plan is approved, Mohan said the city will work on an implementation timeline and strategy, to be brought back to council in early 2021.
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