Edmonton Downtown Public Places Plan

Client City of Edmonton
Location Edmonton | Alberta | Canada

Edmonton’s Downtown is transforming. New investments, including the refurbished Legislature Grounds, Ice District and LRT Valley Line, are attracting new high density residential and commercial development. This in turn is bringing more people, activity, and energy to the heart of the city. The population of Downtown is expected to more than double by 2030. As this population grows, so does demand for a functional network of downtown public places that provide respite, relief, room to socialize, celebrate, and recharge in the heart of the City

O2 was invited by the City of Edmonton to develop new strategies for providing open spaces and improving the public realm to meet the needs of a growing residential population, attract families, and support a vibrant downtown. The project directed the implementation of the Capital City Downtown Plan, as it pertains to parks and open spaces. 

The Edmonton Downtown Public Places Plan provided direction for future planning, development, programming, and an acquisition strategy for public places in Edmonton’s Downtown. Public places include all outdoor open spaces, including public parks, plazas, and privately owned public spaces. Streets were also considered as part of the Downtown public realm as they connect public places and serve as functional components of the network.

The plan will meet community needs and desires to create a sustainable, vibrant, well designed and accessible Downtown through its public places.