Birds-eye view of one option for the proposed LRT portal in historic Chinatown / The Quarters. Click to enlarge.
It seems to come down to focus.
The transportation department has a mandate for an LRT line. The Chinese community wants a neighbourhood.
City transportation staff released new, bold renderings for a dragon-themed LRT portal (trench and tunnel entrance) in The Quarters this week. Their draft options have red metal arches over the trench to suggest the back ribs of a dragon, with Asian-styled fencing and coloured tiles in a dragon motif on the trench walls. (I’ve included more renderings at the very bottom of this post).
But Chinese leaders in the area want the project to be more than just a LRT line (which they previously fought to relocate). They want it to contribute to the neighbourhood. I’ve posted their draft proposal below.
The Chinese leaders want a community charrette to get in deep, wrestle with the issues and come up with a design together that will work and answer their needs.
Nat Alampi, city program manager for LRT Design and construction, said the public open houses across the city are design charrette open to the whole community. That’s where neighbours drop in, listen to a presentation, give their opinions individually to city staff and consultants standing around, and write short notes on sticky notes to pin up on the wall.
Then consultants prepare a report on what they heard, of which only a summary is released back to the public for FOIP reasons. They’ve planned at least three meetings in each of six LRT areas during the preliminary engineering phase.
I think it’s fair to say these two groups have very different visions of what public consultation is feasible and happening.
Read the full story here or in Monday’s paper. More information also available at edmonton.ca/LRTprojects
Read proposal from the Chinese community LRT task force here:
More renderings of city proposals.
A view from inside the proposed LRT portal in The Quarters/historic Chinatown. Click to enlarge.
City engineers have been able to shorten the proposed trench by a third of a city block. Click to enlarge.
A view from 102 Avenue beside the proposed LRT portal. Click to enlarge.
View of the proposed pedway from the seniors centres to the Chinese cultural institutions. Click to enlarge.
Questions? I’m at estolte@edmontonjournal.com or on Twitter @estolte. What’s your take? Post your comments below.
