Page 37 - 03_April-2025

GRASS IS
GREENER IN
GRIESBACH
A pedestrian-centric
plan to redevelop the
neighbourhood’s
northeast corner
by AREEHA MAHAL
photography ASPEN ZETTLE
G
riesbach’s story goes beyond streetlights
— it’s shaped by soldiers. The north
Edmonton neighbourhood was home to
thousands of Canadian Forces personnel
from 1950 to the mid-1990s. Named after
Canadian Major-General William Antrobus Griesbach,
the base was key in Edmonton’s defence history.
Today the majority of the former base has been rede-
veloped; but there is one northeast section that will be
transformed in the years to come.
Anjali Varghese, director of real estate at Canada
Lands Company says the historical Canadian Forces Base
housing has reached the end of its useful life. Residents
of these units were informed more than two years ago
they’d have to vacate and Canada Lands provided a
resident transition co-ordinator to help relocation. Now,
removal of the CFB units is underway, with a third of the
525 units already vacated.
As plans for northeast Griesbach progress, Erin
Rutherford, city councillor for Ward Anirniq, emphasizes
community engagement in shaping the redevelopment.
“As somebody that’s very connected with the
community … I have not heard concerns about the
(redevelopment) design or what is being proposed,”
Rutherford says. “Everybody that’s lived in Griesbach has
always known this area was going to be (re)developed.
I think they felt they had the opportunity to participate
in the engagement.”
The northeast corner is “the last major area” within
Griesbach to be redeveloped, Varghese says. She
describes Griesbach as a “great neighbourhood” with
an “amazing” park and architectural system.
Redevelopment by Canada Lands will build on these
strengths, while creating a denser environment inte-
grated with existing developments. The area will feature
approximately 2,100 new units — a mix of single-family
homes, row-housing and townhouses, and medium-
density (four-to-six storey) apartment buildings. A
minimum of 20 per cent of them will be affordable
(meaning they’ll cost less than 30 per cent of a house-
hold’s before-tax income).
The project surpasses Edmonton’s 16 per cent affordable
housing target, which Rutherford calls a testament to Canada
Lands’ commitment to a “welcoming and inviting” Griesbach.
Thoughtful urban planning also guides the redevel-
opment. “We want to make sure the higher density sites
are well integrated … located and designed in a way that
helps frame public spaces … that we’re careful about the
urban design, how we transition spaces, what kind of
space it runs onto, what’s the scale of different buildings,
how they interact with each other, and the space around
it,” Varghese says.
The redevelopment will include smaller parks, plazas,
and pedestrianized streets — all fulfilling “goals that
Edmontonians have told [the city] they want to see
Edmonton grow towards,” Rutherford says. The spaces
will be inclusive of different abilities and ages, and “for
all seasons,” Varghese adds.
Decisions on the number, features and locations of
the parks are still being finalized. Neighbourhoods in
Edmonton are required to dedicate a minimum 10 per
cent of land to park space — Griesbach currently has
more than 23 per cent.
The northeast area won’t have large-scale parks that
are already found in the rest of Griesbach. It will instead
feature easy-to-access, smaller parks connected to the
existing park network via pedestrian and bike paths —
ensuring everyone has a green space just around the
corner. The redevelopment will introduce “active mode
corridor” streetscapes — pedestrian-focused and
human-scaled — to the northeast corner, aligning with
Griesbach’s existing treed, widened boulevards.
The 155-acre development will unfold over the next
10 to 15 years. After demolishing existing units, Canada
Lands will implement systems such as sewage and water.
Parcels will be available for private builders to break
ground in 2026 and Varghese says the first residents
could unpack boxes in 2027.
“In Griesbach, one of the things we’ve done
historically, and we look to do going forward, is taking
a customized approach … (with) opportunities to do
something special and unique.” ED.
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