City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan

The transformation of Columbus Park in Spruce Grove’s City Centre is now complete, creating a welcoming and open space that can be used for gathering and public events in all seasons.

City Council, together with members of the City Centre Business Association, officially marked the opening of the park with a ceremonial ribbon cutting on September 26.

The redevelopment of Columbus Park is part of the overall City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan (CCARP), which was approved by Council in 2020. This plan provides a framework for guiding the revitalization of the City Centre to create a vibrant, mixed-use space.

Located in the heart of the City Centre at the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Main Street, the updated Columbus Park has improved seating and shelter, new greenery and lighting, and a permanent stage.

“The redevelopment of Columbus Park is a key element in the overall revitalization of the City Centre and we are thrilled with the end result,” said Mayor Jeff Acker. “The new design and features of the park will truly make it a space that can accommodate a variety of needs and help bring people to our City Centre.”

Additional CCARP work currently underway is a streetscape revitalization project that will help create a safer, pedestrian focused environment by improving sidewalks and street crossings, adding street trees, landscaping, and places to gather.

The end result will be a dynamic, welcoming space and improved experience for those who walk, bike, drive, or use transit to access the area.

“I’d like to thank our residents and the business community for their ongoing support during this redevelopment work,” said Mayor Acker. “We truly appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work towards our shared goal of creating a vibrant City Centre.”

Columbus Park has been in its current location in the City Centre since the late 1990s thanks to the support of the Knights of Columbus and other community supporters. Previously, the park was located on the opposite corner of the intersection.

Although Columbus Park is now open, there will be times when workers need to access the site to complete some final touches to the space. During these times, sections of the park may be temporarily fenced off for safety reasons.

Two intersections in the City Centre area will be temporarily closed to accommodate work on the streetscape revitalization project.

The closures are expected to start during the week of September 26 and will impact:

• The intersection of McLeod Avenue and Main Street
• The intersection of Church Road and Main Street

These temporary closures are required to finish connecting the new deep utility mains to the existing mains, and to decommission the old mains.

Drivers are asked to watch for signage and detour accordingly.

The streetscape revitalization project is part of the overall City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan, which is focused on revitalizing the area and making the City Centre a place where people of all ages come to shop, dine, work, live, socialize, interact and participate in a variety of community, arts and cultural experiences.

Businesses in the City Centre remain open during the construction and the community is encouraged to continue supporting them throughout this temporary disruption in the area. Please check out this site for information and an interactive map to find parking and local shops in the area.

July and August were busy months for the streetscape revitalization project in the Spruce Grove City Centre area.

Much of the focus has been on underground work in the area, including new water main and sanitary sewer line installation and some storm water tie-ins. Some surface work has also started, including the removal of some sidewalks, and grading and graveling for new sidewalks.

These underground upgrades will support service to existing businesses and residents, while also creating opportunity for new development.

Moving into September, the underground work and installation of deep utilities will be completed in the coming weeks, and more surface work will begin along with the installation of the soil cells, electrical conduit, and remaining irrigation.

There will be some temporary access disruptions while the road and sidewalks are brought up to the proper elevation, and again when the concrete is poured. Impacted businesses will be notified if they will be affected by this work.

There will be some intersection interruptions at McLeod Avenue and King Street, as well as at Main Street and Church Avenue, to connect the newly installed mains to the existing lines.

Businesses in the City Centre remain open during the construction and the community is encouraged to continue supporting them throughout this temporary disruption in the area. Please check out this site for information and an interactive map to find parking and local shops in the area.

Intersection of McLeod Avenue (looking west): Underground work has been completed; tie-in at Queen Street being done.

Intersection - Main Street (looking south): Asphalt removal completed and waterline started.

Intersection - McLeod Avenue (looking east): Asphalt removals completed and underground work has been started.

Intersection - Main Street (looking north): Underground work completed; soil cells about to be installed.

Photos courtesy of ISL Engineering

September 2 update: The lane reduction is now expected to start on Tuesday, September 6. Thank you for your understanding!

Beginning sometime in the next week, both northbound and southbound traffic on King Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction around the McLeod Avenue intersection.

As part of the streetscape redevelopment work, new sanitary and storm lines need to be connected to the existing ones under King Street.

Once work begins, it is expected to take between one and two weeks, as long as weather is favourable to pave the road once underground work is complete.

July 27 update: The intersection closure is now expected to start on Monday, August 1. Thank you for your understanding!

The intersection of Queen Street and McLeod Avenue in the City Centre area is expected to be temporarily closed starting Friday, July 22. The closure is anticipated to last no longer than one week.

This closure will have the following impacts:

• Traffic driving north on Queen Street will have to turn right and go east down McLeod Avenue. Drivers will not be able to turn left or go straight through the intersection.
• Traffic driving east on McLeod Avenue will not be able to turn left at the intersection. Drivers will only be able to go straight or turn right.

This temporary closure is required to accommodate the connection of new water main lines to the existing connections.

As a reminder, businesses in the City Centre area remain open during the construction and the community is encouraged to continue supporting them during this redevelopment work.

For many of us, when we think about the City’s streets and roadways, we look at them as a way to get around Spruce Grove. They connect our neighbourhoods and allow us to access the many stores, services, and other amenities in our community.

But have you ever stopped to consider what’s going on underneath the asphalt?

If you could peek under the City’s streets, you’d find that it’s the home of many critical services we rely on each day. This includes sanitary sewer lines, water main lines, and stormwater utility lines, as well as private utilities such as cable, telephone, and electrical.

When these underground services need upgrading or repair work, there’s no other option but to go in from above – and that can result in some significant impacts to local streets.

A good example of this is the current work going on in the City Centre area of Spruce Grove. As part of the streetscape revitalization project on Main Street and McLeod Avenue, the majority of this year’s work is focused on the rehabilitation of the underground infrastructure in the area.

These underground upgrades will support service to existing businesses and residents, while also creating opportunity for new development.

So far, new water main and sanitary sewer lines have been installed and some storm water tie-ins have been completed. Additional underground utility installation will continue for the rest of this year’s construction season. There will be some surface work occurring this year, but the majority of that will wait until the 2023 construction season.

“We’d really like thank the community and businesses in the area for their patience and cooperation during this underground work,” said City Municipal Engineer Rae-Lynne Spila. “It can be hard to see the work that’s happening when so much of it is beneath the surface, but these upgrades are an important part of this project and will support the ongoing revitalization efforts in the City Centre area.”

The streetscape project is one element of the larger City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan that is focused on revitalizing the area and making the City Centre a place where people of all ages come to shop, dine, work, live, socialize, interact and participate in a variety of community, arts and cultural experiences.

McLeod Avenue (looking west) – water main has been completed and the sanitary line is currently being installed.

Main Street (looking north) – water main installation.

Intersection - Main Street (looking south) – some asphalt removal completed for some storm tie-ins.

Photos courtesy of ISL Engineering

Parking on Main Street between McLeod Avenue and Church Road will be temporarily removed to accommodate construction work on the streetscape redevelopment project in the City Centre area. This removal is anticipated to start as early as Monday, July 18, and is expected to last no longer than one week. Traffic along this section of road will also be reduced to one northbound lane.

This construction work will support the installation of new water services to the east and west sides of Main Street. The rehabilitation of this underground infrastructure will serve both businesses and residents and create the opportunity for new development.

July 8 update: Please note that due to weather conditions, these closures have been rescheduled for Monday, July 11, starting at 7 p.m.

To accommodate paving work, the following closures will be in the City Centre area on Thursday, July 7, starting at 7 p.m.:

• McLeod Avenue will be closed between Queen Street and Main Street.
• The intersection of McLeod Avenue and Main Street will be closed.

Both the road and the intersection are expected to be open by the following morning. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

An amendment to the City of Spruce Grove Land Use Bylaw is being proposed to update existing land use regulations to be consistent with the City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan. This proposed amendment would adjust the existing land use and development standards for both residential and commercial developments within the City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan’s boundary area.

Attend an Open House on July 6 from 5-7 p.m. at the Pioneer Centre to learn more.

As streetscape redevelopment work continues, new traffic accommodation and road closures have been set up in the City Centre that will be in place for the remainder of the construction season.

• There is one-way traffic (eastbound) on McLeod Avenue with parallel parking only (no angle parking). The westbound lane on McLeod Avenue between King Street and Queen Street is closed.
• There is one-way traffic (northbound) on Main Street with angled parking.
• The intersection at McLeod Avenue and Main Street has partially reopened.
• Pedestrian access is being maintained to all businesses; however there may be isolated and temporary sidewalk closures as needed.
  
  

The streetscape revitalization project is part of the overall City Centre Area Redevelopment Plan, which is focused on revitalizing the area and making the City Centre a place where people of all ages come to shop, dine, work, live, socialize, interact and participate in a variety of community, arts and cultural experiences.

Businesses in the City Centre will remain open during the construction and the community is encouraged to continue supporting them throughout this temporary disruption in the area.

Photos courtesy of ISL Engineering