Work on a new 12-storey building will soon start at the former site of the Park Hotel. Photo by Shaun Penner.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Work to start soon on new 12-storey mixed-use building at Park Hotel site

Apr 19, 2021 | 8:40 PM

Work on a new building that will go where the Park Hotel used to sit in downtown Grande Prairie will soon start.

It will be a 12-storey building. There will be 10-floors of residential with a total of 160 units. There will be one floor of commercial space with the top floor featuring rooftop patios and other such amenities, including some that can be used year-round.

Proponents for the project told City Council’s Monday meeting that site work will start April 29.

Mayor Jackie Clayton says council is excited for the impact this project will have on Grande Prairie’s downtown.

“The City of Grande Prairie has invested $45-million into our infrastructure in the downtown in regards to rehabilitation and streetscape. This project will just be another layer of the impact of what we will see downtown.”

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

The people behind the project say the Downtown Rehabilitation and Streetscape Project, which included upgrades to water lines and other underground infrastructure, was critical in this building going ahead.

Clayton agrees that without that work, this project would not happen.

“We needed to increase our capacity in order to be able to have additions of infrastructure such as this one. The finishing of the sidewalks and the esthetics truly are beautifying downtown but the essential parts of it are the upgrades to the infrastructure.”

Clayton thinks this project goes nicely with the new buildings planned for the York-Germaine land.

“It’s great to see a plan come together in regard to the vision that was laid out last term from council and so the upgrades to the infrastructure have been integral in seeing facilities such as this one, as well as the old York site property that has been added.”

The structure of the new building should start being visible by August

The first residents are expected to move in in March of 2023. Work is being done so that some could be offered at affordable rental rates.

The builders say the total cost is $46.5 million and, when complete, will mean $300,000 a year in tax revenue for the city.