July 19, 2023

Mayor Gondek and City Council
Ward 7 Councillor Terry Wong
City Manager David Duckworrth
General Manager, Infrastructure Michael Thompson
Green Line Board of Directors
Green Line CEO Darshpreet Bhatti

Re: Crescent Heights Village Centre Street Improvements

To Whom it May Concern:

It’s been nearly two years since our request for an interim plan for Centre Street improvements in light of delayed Green Line construction north of the river. Despite numerous communications and meetings since then, there have been no concrete actions to address concerns raised by both the BIA and the Crescent Heights Community Association. Today, we submit this letter to express our disappointment in the City’s response to the needs of business owners in Crescent Heights and to renew our call for action on Centre Street. 

It is our position that given cost escalations and the political climate, construction of the Green Line north of the Bow is many years away, which means the promises of improved safety and public realm are also indefinitely on hold as Centre Street continues to deteriorate. The businesses along Centre Street have simple requests that would go a long way in making Centre Street safer, more accessible and reflective of its status as a designated Main Street.. They include:

• Repairs to deteriorating sidewalks
• Paving of rear laneways to mitigate dangerous driving conditions
• Removal of the laneway gate behind 1000 Centre Street. to improve access to off-street parking and waste removal vehicles
• 40 km/hour speed limit and installation of photo radar at Centre Street. and 7th Avenue N.
• Enforcement of noise and stunting bylaws as related to racing, loud tuner cars and motorcycle stunting that endanger pedestrians 
• Installation of pedestrian-level lighting to improve visibility and safety at night
• Installation of pedestrian crossings at 9th and 11th Avenues to improve safe movement across Centre Street.
• Running a pilot to test removing the rush hour lane reversal 
• Creation of a true parking lane, wide enough to safely park and exit vehicles
• Creation of public parking zones on all side streets for one block out from Centre Street plus inclusion of designated loading zones on each block or laneway for business deliveries
• Provision of a minimum time frame to allow businesses to plan their futures.  
  

Two years is too long to wait for meaningful action and the small businesses at the heart of our community and economy deserve better.  We’re hopeful the City will affect real change in a far more timely fashion to the renewed requests we make today. 

Sincerely,