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City of Grande Prairie

City Council endorses Richmond Industrial Area Revitalization Strategy

Jun 29, 2022 | 1:02 PM

Grande Prairie City Council has outlined key areas of the Richmond Industrial Area that require revitalization.

Kim Pinnock, Senior Executive Advisor with Infrastructure and Economic Development with the City says the initiative was “community-driven,” with stakeholders from the area involved in all the steps.

“We had a couple of engagements in person and virtual stakeholders session, as well as a survey to capture some information from the area to include in the strategy, findings from the consultations, were applied to the strategy and it outlines four key areas for revitalization in the west end: modern infrastructure, identity and promotion, business vibrancy, and safe and accessible places,” Pinnock says.

Pinnock says stakeholders wanted to focus on giving the area modern infrastructure, making it recognizable, cracking down on crime, and building upon the assets the area has.

She says the strategy will take place in three phases to ensure that it fits within the City of Grande Prairie’s budget; with Phase One beginning this year, Phase Two starting in 2023-24 and Phase Three beyond 2025.

“So this isn’t a one-and-done… there are a number of long-term strategies for the City that the recommendations feed into and so it will be an ongoing collaboration with this area in Phase Three and beyond to determine which one of those projects move forward, in the long term,” Pinnock says.

Each phase with a capital request will be going to council as part of their budget process and will have an ongoing collaboration with Richmond Industrial Area Stakeholders.

Pinnock says there will be a number of short-term initiatives in 2022 focusing on landscaping and those will go in front of council in the fall, as part of their budget process.

The goal for council and the community is to promote the area, raise awareness of the opportunities that exist in the area, and make the Richmond Industrial Area as aesthetically pleasing as it can be to attract new businesses.