The redevelopment plan will engage will all landowners (pictured) along with the Avondale Neighbourhood Association. Photo/ City of Grande Prairie

By Courtney Almeida

Avondale Redevelopment

Area Redevelopment Plan to come for facilities in the Avondale neighbourhood

May 16, 2019 | 5:30 AM

The City is in the process of creating an Area Redevelopment Plan for the Avondale neighbourhood. The plan assesses the land containing the Composite High School, Peace Wapiti Academy, the Leisure Centre/Grande Prairie Soccer Centre and the fields adjacent to the building.

The Area Redevelopment Plan has already been approved for funding by Council within the 2019-2022 Capital Budget.

The area in question accounts for approximately 16.9 hectares of land, between 113 Avenue and 116 Avenue and from 104 Street to 106 Street.

The area covered within the Avondale Area Redevelopment Plan. Photo/ City of Grande Prairie

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The Composite High School is located next to the Leisure Centre, which closed after the opening of the Eastlink Centre in 2010. However, the indoor soccer facilities have remained in use. The Soccer Centre in the north has also remained in use.

Recently, the Grande Prairie Public School District received funding to replace the Comp. and build a new high school.

“The intention of the Public School Board is, we believe, to demolish the Composite High School when the new high school is built. Much of the Leisure Centre, I think over the last number of years, it’s been identified that there’s some structural issues, that resulted from having a pool there. I believe the City anticipates, basically, knocking down a portion of the Leisure Centre,” says Dan Whelton, Senior Planner for the City of Grande Prairie.

Whelton explains that the current landowners, the Public School Board being one of them are looking for the opportunity to potentially redevelop that site once the Composite High School is torn down or potentially sell it to a developer for redevelopment.

“The Public School Board needs to keep the Comp in place until the new building is built and then once they have moved into the new building, then they can look at knocking the old building down and we anticipate that being three to five years away,” he explained.

The Composite High School also sits adjacent to Peace Wapiti Academy, a high school within the Peace Wapiti Public School District.

PWSD is also hoping for a new high school to be built in the County to help increase student capacity and reduce bus times.

The redevelopment plan will identify future land use for the Avondale area, based only on decisions already made about existing buildings and facilities. It is not intended to decide the fate of existing facilities.

“Part of this process and the larger City process intends to look at what future recreational needs the city has. Obviously, the Eastlink Centre is at the south end of the city. There’s been some concern about access from homeowners and residents on the north side of the city,” said Whelton.

The Avondale Neighbourhood Association and surrounding landowners will have the chance to engage with the city and give their input throughout the process.

Residents do have the opportunity to request re-consideration towards the closure and demolition of both the Comp. and the Leisure Centre.

The Avondale Area Redevelopment Plan is expected to take between 10 to 12 months to complete. An extension was granted by the Infrastructure and Protective Services Committee to allow for further exploration of developmental options.

“Essentially, what it does is it lets us start looking at a lot of the background information at the same time. A lot of the city’s recreation needs are being considered, talking to user groups and that sort of thing.”