With the West Rossdale and Power Plant discussions in recent City Council meetings, the future of Edmonton’s historic river crossing district has been a hot topic in the media and online.
We’ve gathered a few interesting pieces that pose ideas for how the City can develop Rossdale into a diverse and bustling district:
- The Edmonton Journal published a piece on the lost-gestating 2.2km canal scheme spearheaded by Sol Rolingher and its potential as a catalyst for West Rossdale.
- The canal idea was supported by Journal columnist David Staples, who argues that “man-made lakes often drive up prices in suburban developments, while man-made canals have worked in spectacular fashion in cities like San Antonio, Tex., and Oklahoma City.”
- From 2013, here’s a look at the canal proposal from a planning perspective. Spacing Edmonton’s Paul Giang lays out key questions about how the canal would fit into Rossdale’s urban form.
- Another Journal piece described Telus Field as a major asset in Rossdale’s future.
- Additionally, Edmonton’s Historian Laureate Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail recently wrote a blog post for the Edmonton Heritage Council that poses interesting questions on how we should respond to controversial heritage topics, including Rossdale’s past and future.
What are your thoughts on these ideas? Would this essential Edmonton historic area be best served by an artificial canal? Leave your thoughts below!
Rossdale ReGeneration 
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