Residents of downtown St. Albert are pitching an office and arts space in lieu of the affordable housing project proposed for 22 St. Thomas Street.
On Tuesday, Dale Rokosh addressed council on behalf of the Neighbours of Lot 22 Committee, representatives of four downtown condo buildings on Joseph Street. The committee has created a 30-page proposal for a six-storey, dual purpose civic office and performing arts community hall, complete with floor plan mock-ups.
The committee is proposing the office space instead of an affordable housing project city council has been moving forward with over the past few months. On Dec. 15, 2021, council passed a motion to direct St. Albert’s City manager to reach an agreement with Homeland Housing — which submitted a successful proposal to the City — for the sale of the land, a 1.3-acre parcel of land in the St. Albert's downtown core.
The land previously went up for sale on the open market in 2019, but did not receive interest for the listed price of $3.8 million, leaving council to explore alternatives.
Rokosh said his committee is looking to go beyond criticism for the proposed structure by putting forward a proposal for a plan supported by nearby residents and community members.
Many owners in the downtown area have chosen to relocate and live downtown because they value the city's focus on arts and culture and appreciate the vision the City has laid out and plans for the future growth of St. Albert contained in the Dark and Flourish bylaws.
“Our committee objective was to identify what new development for 22 we can confidently recommend that will deliver the most benefits for all residents with the city,” Rokosh said.
Rokosh said the committee used the City’s planning documents that outline goals as the city expands to guide their proposal, including the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP).
Additionally, Rokosh said his committee surveyed groups in the downtown area ‚ including the St. Albert and District Community League, the St. Albert Community Band, and the St. Albert Singers Guild.
“These people have needs for their practice space and [a] home base to operate from and they don't have it,” Rokosh said, noting the community hall is 82 years old now.
Rokosh said the committee envisions council taking on the civic office and arts space as a capital project, adding that while the new building design is finalized and proposed, the City could create an urban forest picnic park on the land at “a minimum of extra cost.”
“We think the planning for this project now will generate [the] spark needed to revitalize the downtown business district that you were searching for in your committee meeting a few weeks ago,” Rokosh said, referencing a council committee meeting April 11 where councillors brainstormed ways to inject life into the downtown area.
Heron complimented Rokosh’s concept and said she would “love to see it happen,” but noted the City has limited land.
“We’re not looking at office space right now,” Heron said, highlighting that Rokosh also did not have a cost estimate for the project the committee proposed.
Heron noted that while DARP highlights the area at 22 St. Thomas St. for a potential civic office space, the City’s land-use bylaw outlines several other discretionary uses for the land.
Coun. Natalie Joly said she had spoken to a member of the Neighbours of Lot 22 Committee, who shared concerns about the City’s planned affordable housing unit, primarily that it would bring low-income people to St. Albert’s downtown.
“I’m just trying to get a sense of whether that’s no longer a concern,” Joly asked.
"We wanted to find what is right for the lot, and I hope that's what we're getting you to think about," Rokosh said.
Former councillors voice support for affordable housing unit
Others presenting to council spoke in support of the City’s planned affordable housing project.
Gilles Prefontaine, a former council member and downtown resident, addressed council in support of the affordable housing proposal. Prefontaine said he received notice in his condo’s common area to participate in the council meeting and felt it would be important to speak to the need for affordable housing in St. Albert.
“In St. Albert, our community is not immune to the need for affordable and near-market housing,” Prefontaine said. “The time to act is right now.”
Location is crucial for affordable housing units, Prefontaine argued, highlighting downtown’s centrality and proximity to professional services and transit.
Ray Watkins, another former councillor, also presented to council in support of the proposed affordable housing project.
“I want to remind the public of the duty of a city councillor … to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole,” Watkins said.
He noted the City was unable sell the lot at 22 St. Thomas St., and argued an affordable housing unit will be the best use of City-owned land in the area.
“I'll tell you who's going to live in these houses,” Watkins said. “It's going to be your son, your daughter, your granddaughter, your grandma, your seniors, retired people on fixed income, and maybe someone who has fallen on hard times.”
Council posed questions to administration following all three presentations.
Coun. Ken MacKay asked whether DARP, the City’s MDP, and the land-use bylaw contain policies that support an affordable housing project downtown.
Adryan Slaght, the City's director of planning and development, said an affordable housing unit would adhere well to all three planning documents.
“To speak to the downtown area redevelopment plan, there are a lot of policies around trying to encourage efficient use of infrastructure, intensifying the downtown, increasing population, and making the downtown more exciting and vibrant,” Slaght said.
Coun. Shelley Biermanski asked administration whether there would be another suitable piece of land in St. Albert for the affordable housing project.
Kerry Hilts, acting City manager, said the lot had the "least amount of barriers" in front of it of all the parcels the City considered, with Heron adding that the land at 22 St. Thomas St. neither requires servicing or is in holding for future use as a school site.
Heron addressed members of the public who had attended council to support the proposal, noting the agreement with Homeland Housing for the sale of the land at 22 St. Thomas St. is set to come forward in June.
“We would need a motion from council to reverse that direction,” Heron said. “If a member of council wants to make a motion to change the direction of that piece of land, that is their prerogative. That would be a public debate and we would go from there.”
