City will spend $1.5B in construction projects in 2025

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A major transformation is underway in the heart of Edmonton as work accelerates on the city’s newest Downtown green space, Warehouse Park, marking the start of a construction season that will see more than 70 infrastructure projects break ground across the city.

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“I’m proud to see the visionary projects that come to life here,” said Craig Walbaum, acting deputy city manager of integrated infrastructure services.

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“Next year, at this time, we should be able to enjoy the incredible park in the heart of our city. We’re actually turning pocket parking lots into paradise at this location, not the other way around.”

The park, a stretch of vacant parking lots spanning 1.47 hectares in Downtown Edmonton, is located between 106 Street and 108 Street just north of Jasper Avenue. It is part of Edmonton’s $7-billion 2023–2026 capital budget, with an average of $1.5 billion yearly.

Walbaum said this year’s work includes over 80 kilometres of residential roads and sidewalk upgrades, and the renewal of 22 kilometres of alleyways.

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Eleven neighbourhoods will undergo construction as part of the city’s renewal program “to enhance the livability and longevity of these established communities.”

Deputy Mayor Anne Stevenson said the projects aim to do more than just improve infrastructure, but are part of a broader plan to build inclusive, connected communities.

“We’re not just laying pavement and building structures. We’re building the foundation for a city where every Edmontonian feels a sense of belonging,” Stevenson said.

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“Warehouse Park is an example of this work. As we prepare to welcome another million residents to our city, it is critical for Edmonton to have a network of parks and open spaces to serve diverse needs.”

In addition, the William Hawrelak Park rehabilitation project has entered its third and final year, aiming to reopen in early 2026.

The city is also forging ahead with other Downtown revitalization efforts, including improving safety and accessibility in Beaver Hills House Park and Michael Phair Park. Meanwhile, phase two of the Imagine Jasper Avenue project continues with a focus on pedestrian safety, adding enhanced crosswalks to support those who walk, cycle and roll through the area.

Major recreation facilities are also taking shape across the city. The Lewis Farms facility and park project in the west end aims to offer a library, pool, fitness centres and twin ice arenas, while the Coronation Park sports and recreation centre in the north-central area is nearing completion six months ahead of schedule and will open early next year. This centre is expected to create opportunities for year-round triathlon and cycling training and events.

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“Each of the projects under construction this year contributes to shaping our city through the priorities aligning with our city plan,” Walbaum said. “We are getting very big things done this year.”

Construction, however, comes with disruptions, Walbaum said. The city is making efforts to minimize the impact through strategic planning, sequencing, and real-time traffic modelling.

“We actually have a traffic model for the traffic flow of all the main roads in the entire city,” he said. “We put all the construction we’re planning and the lane restrictions that it’s looking like we’re going to propose, and we actually run that model and do scenarios on it to see if all the roads have the capacity for traffic to move around and still keep flowing.”

He added one example is 107 Avenue, which is actually showing a delay on the schedule, “because we intentionally delayed it to make sure that capacity was there for traffic as part of the LRT project.”

The city is also continuing its accelerated construction strategy on the LRT this year to reduce the length of road disruptions.

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Stevenson acknowledged the inconvenience caused by these projects and encouraged residents to support local businesses affected by construction.

“Your understanding and support is crucial in making these transformative projects a reality,” she said.

Walbaum confirmed that the city is expecting increased construction costs this year, which requires the city to estimate the budget based on real-time fluctuations and uncertainties globally.

“We all know that tariffs right now are an unknown of how that might impact us, and we are doing internal analysis right now, both within how our contracts are structured, as well as just navigating and being ready for what those implications might be,” he said.

Whether project costs are locked in depends on the stage and structure of each contract, Walbaum.

“Many of our projects are locked in for a final cost, but we also have contract elements in there where if we have unforeseen circumstances. We do look at navigating that with our contractors,” he said. “But they are based on managing our risk and making sure that we have good containment and control.”

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Despite challenges, city officials expressed pride in the teams behind the work and urged Edmontonians to follow progress online at building.edmonton.ca.

cnguyen@postmedia.com

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