Real estate group wants city to pick up pace of downtown revitalization

Our members have also been watching in dismay. At a board meeting yesterday there was a lot of concern about the state of affairs downtown incl Stephen Ave. Members have invested 10s of millions into resetting buildings & dont feel city is responding to those efforts. #yycre

—@naiopyyc

While foot traffic downtownhas rebounded due to lifted health restrictions and office vacancies have slightly decreased, Koroluk said there's a way to go beforepeople are convinced that downtown is worth livingin or visiting.

"There's definitely a perception that people are hearing that downtown after hours is not a place where people want to stay, aside from a couple of hours after work for a few drinks."

Thom Mahler, the director of downtown strategy for the city, said thatplenty of work is being done as part of a 15 year downtown strategyapproved by city council althoughmuch of that work is preparing for projects to come.

Mahlersaid council approved an initial $55 million for capital projects includinga refresh of Stephen Avenue, improving the public realm on Eighth Street S.W.and completing the riverfront promenade in the west end of downtown.

"What that did was allow us to advance more into the design because before you build anything, you have to have a constructable project and that takes some time," said Mahler.

Mahler added that the city is close to signing agreements with a master designer for revitalizing the entire length of Stephen Avenue and that once the design work is complete, construction will progress in stages over the coming years.

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In the meantime, the city has begun a series of small scale activation and beautification projects on Stephen Avenue to attract people and encouragethem to linger, said Mahler.

For example, the city will place more outdoor seating areas around the corner of Stephen Avenue and SecondStreet S.W.this summer, experimenting with different types of street furniture to see what is successful.

Mahler agrees that perceptions of public safety are a key concern and that it will taketime to shift people's perceptions.

"It's easily our number one priority and we continue to work with all of our partners downtown the police, enforcement, social agencies, the [business improvement areas]on how we address thatboth short term and long term."

Mahler said things like the Calgary Flames playoff run and the return of a full slate of events for the Calgary Stampede this year should also help boost activity in the core.