THE DOWNTOWN RECOVERY COALITION

Building a better downtown for Edmonton

By Paul Adair

The downtown is the heart of a community – both literally and symbolically – and often signifies the brand or identity a city wants to present to the world. A downtown also tends to be the leading economic driver for a city, drawing many people into the core to work, live, and play each and every day.

This is no different for Edmonton, where the city’s downtown is home to approximately 13,000 people and a workplace for more than 60,000. And while the downtown represents less than one per cent of the geographic area of Edmonton, the land there comprises a significant amount (10 per cent) of the municipal tax base.

Unfortunately, a lack of redevelopment and an exit of several flagship retailers over the years has caused many Edmontonians to believe that their downtown is in a state of decline. This is a perception that Edmonton’s Downtown Recovery Coalition (DRC) hopes to change by helping to build a more vibrant and thriving downtown that will continue to be an engine of Edmonton’s economy, and a welcoming place for all.

“It comes back to the idea that 10 per cent of the tax base resides in a relatively small area and that, if we lose that tax base because of

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