Residents gathered at the Root to discuss different ideas for Lloydminster’s downtown as part of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan. An open house on Wednesday evening saw city staff, members of the DARP committee and O2 Planning and Design provide information on the potential of the downtown core.
DARP Committee member Luke Russell says he would like to see the downtown offer green spaces such as rooftop gardens and cycling paths.
“Also just in general bringing more business into downtown because a lot of it seems to be spreading outwards and it needs to come inwards. I’d also like to see more residential opportunities downtown for people to live because of course, you got people living here they can go for walks, they can enjoy the downtown and it would increase the traffic.”
Russell is a local resident and one of 11 people to sit on the DARP committee. He says he wants to be part of progressing the community.
“It doesn’t matter who you are in society to be part of these processes can be a great voice. Even though I’m not a building owner or a business owner downtown I can have some valid input or give some suggestions that they may not think of.”
The open house is part of a larger plan to redevelop the downtown. Project Manager Sam Afolayan says a second open house will be held for residents to see their ideas on display and then provide further feedback.
“We’re expecting by maybe January of next year we’re going to be having another open house in which the ideas that are gathered today will be displayed for the community to see.”
Afolayan says there has been overwhelming support from the community and a lot of ideas have been created through DARP.