Why can’t an eco-city (green city) be for the greater good of St. Albert and its residents? City council has had several stalled discussions about the annexed lands in the north transitioning to a smart growth philosophy mixed with Avenir and the urban sports village concepts. It may seem a bit leery and uninviting for most.
So for myself, I do understand the concerns of city council along with the land developers and St. Albert residents on this whole smart growth and eco-vision (Avenir / urban sports) -type concepts. But these concepts all have great components for creating a modified development space and may exercise and encourage our interests as St. Albert residents to be more forthcoming and accepting as the land developers, home and commercial builders, occupy the annexed land space sooner then the originally proposed later dates. Outlining a smart path for a smarter St. Albert, becoming a true eco-vision leading city that can be enjoyed by St. Albert families for future generations to come.
An example of this smart path for a smart St. Albert idea is the ‘Yes’ factor. Yes to turn the new streets into a grid system and keeping the residential as residential neighbourhoods and the large laboratories and other non-residential zones complete with the clean technology companies and the less polluting (non-industrial) commercial/retail stores in an area that is most ideal for ease of access to the new 8,000-plus jobs entering into the St. Albert workforce. Yes to St. Albert working closer towards our 80/20 rule as a city goal. Yes to the parks that have playgrounds with community planted trees for families to picnic and play safe around. Yes to the open fields to throw the football or kick a soccer ball and maybe even segregate some space for a community garden and compost. Yes to the urban sports theme of a few teams occupying ball diamonds to support team spirit along with health and fitness. Yes to keeping the Anthony Henday available for strict commercial zoning and allow for space on future development to avoid another Yellowhead highway. Yes to a better transit system that has more frequent times and ideal routes and stops at main hubs. Yes to allowing St. Albert residents the opportunity to take a ride on a bike path or walk down a pedestrian friendly sidewalk during a normal peaceful day.
Let’s use these clean amenities and continue to better and expand on them in the times, applying for those clean technology grants for additional city funding by committing to minimizing our local vehicle traffic to avoid any additional carbon and ozone gases that is killing our own health and planet of Earth. Yes to accepting this 95 per cent city imposed development levies as they are only targeting to be an average cost of $19,000 from the current $15,000 50/50 levy which is a comparable increase with other cities in our province, thus allowing the formula for infrastructure growth without the burden to the St. Albert property taxpayers.
Keeping a clean breath, that together with our health and real estate always being the two best investments and will only appreciate over age. So together let us invest in a smart St. Albert!
James Van Damme, St. Albert
