Downtown revitalization on Third Avenue

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

As tenders closed earlier this week on bids for the Third Avenue revitalization project, Town of Strathmore administration is confident it will lead to a positive experience with a final design that addresses the public’s main priority: parking.
Construction on Second Avenue last year, received criticism over a rushed timeline, long periods of road foreclosures due to the installation of a storm water drainage pipe and errors in line painting affecting handicapped parking stalls – challenges that prompted a proactive approach in handling similar enhancements on Third Avenue.
Through a number of open houses, newspaper advertisements, a social media campaign, knocking on businesses doors, and surveys gathering input from residents and local businesses on the number and size of parking stalls, the value of public and plaza space, and landscaping, the issue of parking emerged as the main concern.
As a result, town staff adjusted the Third Avenue streetscape final design concept to reflect public opinion, thus sacrificing some design elements, such as a nicer entrance to Kinsmen Park with even wider bump-outs on the corners, to accommodate more parking spaces.
“Pretty much every business and a lot of public folks said parking was a priority so we definitely incorporated that into our design,’’ said Chuck Procter, planner for the Town of Strathmore.
“It’s more feedback than we got from Second Avenue, and that was one of the things that we wanted to improve. We had really strong support for landscaping some trees and some nice flowers in the downtown, for wider sidewalks … and the design was heavily influenced around that feedback which is great.”
Unlike Second Avenue, Third Avenue already contains an existing storm and sanitary line that Procter said engineers with the town confirmed had been replaced within the past 10 years and no new infrastructure upgrades are required at this time.
While the construction schedule last year began in the middle of the summer with a hurried timeline to finish before Strathmore’s biggest summer attraction –Strathmore Stampede and Heritage Days – staff was able to start public engagement for this year’s project over the winter and worked on the design towards the end of the winter season.
Similar to Second Avenue, Third Avenue will receive upgrades that include decorative lighting, street furniture, wider sidewalks, more handicapped parking stalls and accessibility, and a new top-lift as part of the Downtown Enhancement Project with the same budget of $1.2 million.
Although the tender process for the project closed on May 14, Procter remained uncertain of a start date, estimating construction will take place from the middle of June to early August.
Some road closures are expected, especially when working on manholes in the middle of intersections.
One business owner, Marlene Risdon, proposed the idea of a punch card system to attract new and existing business this summer. Risdon estimated she approached nearly 25 businesses on Monday and continued spreading the word about the punch card system throughout the week. Her idea is to provide customers with a card that is “punched” when making purchases at various businesses on Third Avenue, and after five punches, is entered into a monthly draw. Multiple cards can be filled and entered into the draws.
“During the construction, it’s for people to come down to see us and for the awareness of who’s here, because so many people have no idea what’s on Third Avenue,” said Risdon, owner of The Rack on Third.
This summer, Second Avenue will also undergo some upgrades. Some stalls had been marked incorrectly and will be repainted.
Construction on Third Avenue is expected to start next month. No construction will take place during Newsy Neighbour’s Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival on June 16. The town has also secured Downtown Strathmore Night Market dates on June 21 and July 26.