Planning Details

The following information is based off of the 2015 Downtown Infrastructure Assessment, Streetscape Enhancement and Rehabilitation Project Final Design Recommendation Report prepared by Morrison Hershfield. Details are subject to change based on availability and functionality. A full copy of the report is available here. 

Phasing Information

Utilities

Streetscapes

• Urban Street ROW components
• Standard Street ROW components
• Theme Inspiration and Material Palette
• Streetscape Kit of Parts

Phasing Information:

Phase 1: Adjacent to Revolution Place on 101 St. north to 102 Ave. (2016/2017)

Phase 2: 101 Ave. from the Golden Age Centre to 100 St. (2017)

Phase 3: 100 Ave. from 102 St. to 100 St. (2018)

Phase 4: 100 Ave. from 100 St. to 98 St. (TBD)

This phasing option was approved by Council on April 20, 2015 with the following justifications:

• Phase 1 coincides with Aquatera’s planned replacement of the 101 St. sanitary trunk which also presents a cost-savings, and it offers an opportunity to develop communication and construction tactics in an area with less disruptions to more frequented roads
• Phase 2 includes the Shared (Festival) Avenue which is a highly anticipated feature and can demonstrate the benefits of the projects with fewer businesses and less traffic impacts

Utilities

A subsurface utility assessment of water, sanitary sewer and storm sewers was completed for the area of the project and was based on:

• Age and condition of the infrastructure
• Location/alignment of infrastructure
• Capacity of existing infrastructure to serve new development
• Recommendations for replacement schedule based on condition on infrastructure

It is recommended that where any one utility is replaced and where surface infrastructure is being replaced, all three deep utilities should be designed and constructed to maximize the long term capital and operational cost effectiveness.

Sanitary Sewer Assessment: Currently, vitrified clay tile (VCF) pipes are used downtown and they have been deemed past their serviceable life. Replacement is recommended with PVC pipes in locations where surface infrastructure is slated for major enhancement. Other areas that do not need immediate replacement can be scheduled for replacement as needed.

Water Distribution Assessment: The pipes that presently serve downtown were installed between the 1940s and 1970s. These types of pipe have an estimated lifespan of 70 years but this is impacted by pipe condition and work environment. A pipe condition assessment is recommended to determine a replacement plan. Design interventions such as sprinklers are currently being built to improve the current water network capacity to insure it is adequate. Other recommendations include installing a connection line on 101 St. between 102^nd and 100^th Ave., as well as upgrading the 100 mm diam. line to 150 mm diam. in 99^th Avenue east of 98^th St.

Storm Sewer Assessment: Overall, the system currently accommodates flow adequately. A few locations have been identified to troubleshoot on an individual basis.

Streetscapes

Before construction, a Surface Infrastructure Assessment was conducted to review existing information for roads, sidewalks and curbs and gutters; a visual inspection and documentation of existing conditions; and high level cost estimates to repair, rehabilitate or replace sections of roads.

The study concluded that while the roads are all of varying age, they are still in fair to good condition and may continue to be serviceable with regular maintenance.

The curb and gutter assessment noted similarly that these surfaces remain in fair to good condition and can continue to be serviceable in the foreseeable future. Some areas that have been identified as being in poor condition should be programmed along with adjacent roadworks.

Much of the downtown sidewalks are made up of pavers which are listed in varied condition. The prevailing issue is settlement and heaving as a result of frost or subgrade failure. Other options such as conventional concrete sidewalks with an aesthetic treatment are being explored to be more climate-friendly and cost effective. Sidewalk ramps are also being redeveloped to enhance accessibility for all pedestrians.

The Downtown Enhancement Area Redevelopment Plan (DEP) has identified thematic areas to develop the core downtown roads:

• 100^th Avenue (Richmond Avenue) corridor is to be promoted as the pedestrian heart of the city
• Montrose Square and Revolution Place are to be the prime civic, recreational, and cultural spaces
• 101 Avenue and 99 Avenue corridor are to be maintained as the downtown service and office areas
• The City Centre node and adjacent blocks may be developed for general and larger format retail businesses
• 97^th Avenue shall be supported as a primary service commercial business and office corridor
• The City Hall precinct is to function as a civic focus and may include city administrative as well as general health care facilities and mixed use development

Based off of the Complete Streets for Canada concept, street design for the downtown aims to incorporate transportation, aesthetic, pedestrians, cyclists and an overall vision for the area to make it accommodating for users of all ages, abilities, and modes of travel.

Using this model the following road hierarchy for downtown has been proposed:

Urban Street ROW Components

Urban Avenue:

• 100^th Ave. (Richmond Ave.) is designated as the Urban Avenue
• Functions as the pedestrian focal point of the city
• Road components being rebalanced to prioritize pedestrian experience
• Narrow ROW width allows for planting and growth of trees along street
• Two westbound vehicular lanes and two parking lanes
• On-street parking separated by flush curb and enhanced paving treatment
• Opportunity to create bump-outs (i.e. widening of sidewalk at crossings) to increase gathering space and planting zones while enhancing safety

Shared Avenue:

• 101 Ave. functions as a shared festival road and the cultural hub of downtown
• Enhanced by proximity to Farmer’s Market and Montrose site
• Street components rebalanced to prioritize pedestrian experience and streetscape elements
• Two-way vehicular lanes and two parking lanes
• On-street parking

Transitional Avenue:

• 99^th Ave. is ripe for a lot of future development
• Present opportunity for improved pedestrian realm and street tree growing conditions
• Future development may create opportunity to reclaim more public realm in certain areas in exchange for developmental compromises such as increased building height or density
• Three eastbound lanes and two parking lanes
• May be opportunity for future separated bike lane to create major east-west cycle route through downtown
• On-street parking separated by flush curb and enhanced paving treatment which may also provide future opportunity for bump-outs and mid-block crossing points

Urban Arterial Street:

• 100^th St. and 98 St., south of 101 Ave. and north of 99 Ave.
• The area is urban in nature with landscaped islands, grated tree pits, and 1.5 metres of sidewalk on either side
• Two northbound and two southbound vehicular lanes with no on-street parking
• Drive lanes being reduced to prioritize urban pedestrian experience

Urban Collector Street:

• 102 St. south of 101 Ave. and north of 99 Ave.
• ROW is urban in nature with grated tree pits and 2.5 metres of sidewalk on either side
• Two northbound and two southbound vehicular lanes with two lanes of standard on-street parking
• Drive lanes reduced in size to prioritize urban pedestrian experience

Urban Connector Street:

• 99 St. and 101 St. south of 101 Ave. and north of 99 Ave. as they function to connect pedestrians from the north and south to the heart of downtown
• ROWs are urban in nature with grated tree pits and 3 metres of sidewalk on either side to strengthen urban pedestrian experience
• One northbound and one southbound vehicular lane and two lanes of on-street parking with enhanced paving treatment
• Drive lanes being reduced

Standard Street ROW Components

Residential Avenue:

• 102 Ave. due to existing and surrounding land uses
• Large ROW width allows incorporation of elements that are not able to be accommodated in narrow ROWs without compromising the functionality of their streetscapes
• Opportunity for dedicated bike lanes on either side of road due to its natural east-west connection through downtown from City Hall and the Montrose Site to Jubilee and Muskoseepi Parks
• Bike lanes can be raised and separated from traffic to enhance a sense of safety and may also serve as a means to test demand for a dedicated cycling network
• Opportunity to have landscaped tree planting zones
• One eastbound and one westbound vehicular lane and two lanes of standard on-street parking
• Drive lanes can be reduced

Standard Arterial Street:

• 100 St. and 98 St. north of 101 Ave. and south of 99 Ave.
• 25 metre ROWs can include landscaped islands, sodded tree planting zones, and 1.5 metres of sidewalk on either side
• Two northbound and two southbound vehicular lanes with no on-street parking
• Drive lanes can be reduced

Standard Collector Street:

• 102 St. north of 101 Ave. and south of 99 Ave.
• ROW can include sodded tree planting zones and 2.5 metres of sidewalk on either side
• Two northbound and two southbound vehicular lanes with two lanes of standard on-street parking
• Drive lanes can be reduced

Standard Connector Street:

• 99 St. and 101 St. north of 101 Ave. and south of 99 Ave. due to their functionality in connecting pedestrians from the north and south to the heart of the downtown
• ROWs can include sodded tree planting zones and 3 metres of sidewalk on either side to strengthen the connective pedestrian experiences
• One northbound and one southbound vehicular lane (with lanes being reduced in size) and two lanes of standard on-street parking

Basic Local Upgrade:

• All local roads within the downtown enhancement area, including 98^th Ave., 97 Ave., Montrose Ave., 97A St., 97 St., and 102 St.
• ROWS can include sodded tree planting zones and 1.5 metres of sidewalk on either side
• Maintain existing flow of traffic and two lanes of standard on-street parking while reducing lane size

Theme Inspiration and Material Palette

Blending Grande Prairie’s past, present and future the design theme of the project aims to represent an authentic look at Grande Prairie, promote modernization and vitality and retain a unique design integrity.

Key to this theme is a visual incorporation of Grande Prairie’s main industries: agriculture, oil and gas, forestry, retail and manufacturing.

Here is a quick overview of how this is being done:

• Industrial materials such as steel, wood and concrete are meant to represent the different industries that built Grande Prairie
• Durable outdoor materials have been chosen to sustain harsh winter conditions; these include high density paper composite instead of natural wood, corten steel, stainless steel, concrete and polycarbonate panels
• Stainless steels serves to provide a modern look while ‘wood’ textures provide a natural aesthetic and represent a connection to the forestry industry
• A palette of warm tones used in the concreate paving materials portrays our prairie landscape while also contracting the industrial metal tones and cool colours of winter

 

 

Streetscape Kit of Parts

A fundamental part of realizing the vision for downtown is the streetscape kit of parts, which has been divided into five categories: lighting, street furniture, planting, paving and transitional components.

Lighting:

• Streetlights with banners
  • Located along north-south streets within the Urban Zone
  • Stainless steel material
  • Update the downtown, enhancing the desirability for future development
  • Help establish a unified downtown theme
  • Provide opportunities to advertise city events
• Streetlights with flower baskets and banners
  • Located along east-west streets within the Urban Zone
  • Flower baskets bring colour, life and variety during warmer months
  • Brackets can hold seasonal decorations or additional lighting during colder months
  • Banners establish a unified downtown theme
  • Provide opportunities to advertise city events
• Pedestrian streetlights
  • Located in Urban Zone on Shared Avenue, Urban Avenue and Transitional Avenue as they are the most urban in nature
  • Used to define key pedestrian areas such as mid-block crossings, enhanced intersections, plazas and seating areas
• Standard streetlights
  • Located along all downtown streets within the Standard Zone
  • Stainless steel material and modern lamp form aids in updating and modernizing less urban streets
  • Establishes a unified characters outside of central Urban Zone

Street Furniture:

• Bollards
  • Located in the Urban Zone on the Shared Avenue, Urban Avenue, and Transition Avenue as they are the most urban in character
  • May also have an illuminated option
  • Serve as informal barriers between cars and pedestrians
• Signage and wayfinding
  • Located throughout Urban Zone
  • Directs pedestrians and drivers to key locations in the heart of downtown
  • Can be made up of directional poles, public parking signs, sub-area identification and/or business signs and pedestrian-scaled maps among others
  • Can be constructed using a variety of materials including concrete, stainless steel, corten steel, and/or polycarbonate panels
• Urban Benches
  • Located along Shared Avenue, Urban Avenue and Transitional Avenue in Urban Zone
  • Backless, illuminated style made of poured concrete
  • Backed style made from poured concrete and high density paper composite (HDPC)
  • Offer a sense of variety within the streetscape
  • HDPC material manufactured in North America from FSC certified recycled paper nad requires little to no maintenance
• Park Benches
  • Located across a variety of streets in the Urban Zone and Standard Zone
  • Stainless steel legs and an HDPC seat
  • More traditional bench with backrest to be placed in downtown parks
• Bike racks
  • Located all along streets within the Urban Zone and selected streets in the Standard Zone
  • Promotes cycling and gauges demand for future dedicated bike lanes downtown
  • Simple stainless steel design
• Waste and recycling receptacles
  • Located in both Urban Zone and Standard Zone
  • Encourages a clean city 
  • Stainless steel and HDPC design

Planting:

• Open Planters
  • Located throughout the Urban Zone
  • Placed along mid-block crossings and enhances intersections
  • Poured concrete
  • Contributes to aesthetics, enhances the overall planting environment, curb opening with runoff channel captures and temporarily stores stormwater, increases seating with addition of HDPC seating
  • Variety of species to be considered to accommodate northern climate
• Grated tree pit
  • Located within the Urban Zone
  • Single rectangular grates and a series of rectangular tree grates over a continuous tree trench
  • Add variety and the series of grates establish major corridors
  • Larger, continuous tree pit also helps to ensure healthy urban growing conditions with less soil compaction
• Boulevard planting
  • Located along all downtown streets in the Standard Zone
  • Beautify the streetscape, assist in controlling stormwater runoff, provide separation between road and sidewalk and signify transition out of central Urban Zone
  • Consist of planted trees with a combination of lawn, gardens or bioswales that are appropriate for the climate

Paving:

• Enhanced Sidewalks and Crosswalks
  • Varied styles across both the Urban Zone and the Standard Zone
  • Along 100 Ave. sidewalks and parking lanes are to feature unit pavers with larger paving bands that span from building facades to the edge of the flush curb on the roadway; sidewalk unit pavers and the corresponding banding can continue through the roadway at each intersection and mid-block bumping-out forming crosswalks complete with tactile pavers for improved accessibility
  • 101 Ave. is to have identical unit pavers and paving bands but they will span the entire width of the street
• Enhanced On-Street Parking
  • Located within the Urban Zone
  • Constructed from a combination of unit pavers and poured concrete
  • Strengthens pedestrian realm by creating a textural divide between pedestrians and vehicles
  • Shared Avenue (101 Ave.) has potential to incorporate an enhanced paving pattern across entire street including parking lanes
• Shared Street
  • 101 Ave.
  • Curbless streetscape with a uniform paving throughout
  • Reorients street with a focus on the pedestrian experience
  • Uniquely serves as an opportunity for locals and tourists to experience and celebrate the vitality of the City of Grande Prairie
  • Opens up opportunities to expand areas for on-street parking and patio space for businesses during festivals
  • Flexibility of space enhances potential for activities, amenities, recreation and community events
• Bike Lanes
  • Located on either side of Residential Ave. (102 Ave.) on the Standard Zone
  • Natural east-west connection through downtown including City Hall, Montrose Site, Jubilee Park and Muskoseepi Park
  • Raised asphalt separated from traffic by a planting strip to enhance safety

Transitional Components:

• Seasonal Elements
  • Within the Urban Zone
  • Flexible seasonal elements are being added to the streetscape to enhance the downtown environment during winter weather conditions of lower temperatures and shorter daytime hours
  • Aesthetically this can include season decorations from street light brackets or lights and banners across the streets from light pole to light pole
  • DEP policies also suggest solar heat trap/windbreak structures that would trap solar heat during the winter but also shade structures during warmer months and act as support for future downtown projects such as transit shelters
• Cultural Features
  • Included as a celebration of the culture and history of Grande Prairie
  • Ideas include heritage monuments and public art spaces that are interchangeable
  • To be enjoyed and created by the public encouraging a sense of community ownership and civic pride
  • Helps build cultural fabric and attractiveness of area

All of these features also help to fulfil the Winter City recommendations. Read more about these recommendations on the Urban Design page.