High Level Line Society aims to ramp up interest in plan for bridge-top urban park
The proponents behind the High Level Line have a singular, lofty goal: transform the upper deck of the High Level bridge into an urban park connecting north and south Edmonton.
A collective of volunteer designers and architects believe the bridge, spanning the North Saskatchewan River, could serve as the backbone for improved commuter routes and a new tram line.
The proposed corridor would be made up of new pedestrian and cycling paths, gardens, public art and an expanded streetcar connecting downtown to Whyte Avenue.
'A means to connect'
The ambitious concept, first introduced last fall, is getting another promotional push this spring.
"The High Level Line is a means to connect the two cultural cores of our city," said Gillian Thomson, vice-chair of the High Level Line Society.
"Downtown and Old Strathcona are in very close proximity, but the river valley — as beautiful as it is — can be quite a barrier to connect the two.
"We are envisioning a linear park that goes on top of High Level Bridge and then uses that rail corridor."
The four-kilometre route for the proposed High Level Line would the start on Whyte Avenue at 104th Street, then meander through the Strathcona Gardens before snaking through the Garneau tunnel.
After using the bridge to cross the the river valley, it would wind through through the Jasper Avenue area and the Railtown Green before reaching the MacEwan University campus.
The plan calls for a transformation of the North Saskatchewan river valley, as well as the neighbourhoods of Strathcona, Garneau, Grandin and Oliver.
Since unveiling their preliminary designs, the project proponents have formed a non-profit society, met with designers, landowners, community leagues and government officials while courting prospective developers and financial backers.
On Thursday, the High Level Line team is hosting a launch party at downtown restaurant The Common in an attempt to drum up more support for the pitch and begin public consultations in earnest.
The High Level Line proposal also includes plans for "Track Shacks" — tiny buildings along the line which would provide recreation rentals and sell food, drink and locally made goods.
The team plans to erect a few of the shacks along the proposed route this summer to promote their plan.
'Taking it a bit slow'
There has been plenty of public interest so far, said Kevin Dieterman, chair of the High Level Line Society.
"We've been talking to a lot of people," Dieterman said in an interview Wednesday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. "We're a little overwhelmed, frankly, by the support for it. It was an overwhelmingly positive response."
Dieterman said bringing all the possible stakeholders together will help identify all possible barriers to making the vision a reality.
"We're just seeing where we stand in the big picture, drumming support and finding allies," Dieterman said.
While city officials have been generally supportive of the concept, Dieterman said the team has been purposefully "taking it a bit slow" in engaging with municipal government.
There is a lot of design work and landowner negotiation to be done before they'll be ready to make an official pitch to the city.
While the proponents lack any firm commitment from the city or developers, they remain confident the project will happen — eventually.
The bridge is already there, they say, just waiting to be developed.
"We sort of have a phased approach that we think could happen but we don't own the line so it's not really up to us what happens," Thomson said, adding that he isn't clear who is the line's owner.
"We're just trying to raise awareness that the line exists so improvements could be made over the next five to 30 years, even."
