Red Deer’s downtown transit terminal will temporarily move a few blocks east to a parking lot.
City council approved a staff recommendation on Monday to set up the central transit hub at 48th Street between 47A Avenue and 47th Street. Improvements will be made to the gravel lot, so that it is paved and there is good lighting.
The terminal is moving because the city is building a three-storey parkade above the existing one at 49th Avenue between 48th and 49th streets.
Parkade construction will happen between June and March.
Transit Department manager Kevin Joll said bus users will see some impact.
“Sometimes in rush hour, we may be running late,” Joll said.
The city also considered a lot used by Red Deer Public Market patrons.
The city also proposed closing 47th Street between 49th and 48th Avenues.
Linda Smith, executive director of the Children’s Services Centre, was relieved that 47th Street wouldn’t be closed since she said it would have caused problems for parents trying to drop off their children who have special needs.
“It’s really a pleasure to hear all of the considerations that the city staff took at looking at alternatives,” Smith said later.
“They listened to the concerns of the children’s centre and what other agencies and businesses on 47th (Street) had about access and safety.”
The centre organized a petition to stop the closure. More than 500 written signatures and close to 300 electronic signatures were assembled.
Councillor Larry Pimm said it will cost a significant amount of money, about $600,000, to get the parking lot up to snuff.
“Most of them are permanent improvements,” he said.
Here are other council decisions made on Monday.
• green light is given to creating garden plots in the city as discretionary uses
• support to sending city response to Provincial Law Enforcement Framework Discussion Guide
• notice of intent is given to designate North Cottage School as a Municipal Historic Resource
• expropriation proceedings is endorsed on lands required for Northland Drive road and Waskasoo Park system
• approval of 10 priority areas for the implementation of the Greater Downtown Action Plan
• first reading is given to rezone a parcel on which Western RV Country sits so it can sell recreational vehicles in a newly annexed area west of Hwy 2.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com