St. Albert city council will be debating whether or not the city takes out at least $16.6 million in debt to fund the development of Millennium Park on Tuesday, a project that's grown increasingly controversial in recent months.
Eight residents have signed up to speak to council prior to the debate, which is for second and third reading of the project's $20.8 million borrowing bylaw. A few of those who have signed up to speak represent nearby organizations, such as the St. Albert Curling Club and the Seniors' Association, while other speakers include representatives from the Big Lake Environmental Support Society (BLESS), and Ciara Fraser, the resident who organized the ultimately unsuccessful petition against the borrowing bylaw.
Millennium Park is the name given to the mainly forested area separating St. Albert Place and Lions Park on the south side of the Sturgeon River downtown. The park project council is looking to borrow money for, as dictated by the approved park design, will see more than half of the trees in the area be cut down to increase the amount of open green space while a small pavilion building will be constructed that will include public washrooms and some small commercial space.
Also included in the approved design is a playground and picnic area, as well as a splash pad that will double as a social skating space in the winter months.
Since council last discussed the project in chambers in January, the citizen-based Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) approved a motion asking council to think twice about the project given the substantial level of tree removal, and the petition mentioned previously took place. Although the petition failed to reach the required minimum amount of signatures to force council to abandon the project as is or send it to a public vote, the petition did receive slightly more than 4,500 signatures.
As the Gazette reported last week, Mayor Cathy Heron was “somewhat surprised” by the level of community push back the project has received recently, however, she's still in favour of moving ahead with development.
Heron said the park's design that council approved in December is still “conceptual,” and the detailed design aspect of the project, once completed, will give a more defined look into the amount of tree loss required.
Tuesday's council meeting will start at 1:00 p.m.
