'Treated as a crisis': Business leaders call on council to deal with Downtown construction, mayor says work has started
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They should be seen really as the start of what needs to be continuous and ongoing work"Last updated 24 minutes agoYou can save this article by registering for freehere. Orsign-inif you have an account. A pedestrian makes their way past LRT construction along 102 Avenue at 104 Street in Edmonton on Monday, July 20, 2026. Photo by David Bloom/PostmediaEdmonton Mayor Andrew Knack is saying more should be done to support Downtown businesses during construction in response to recent concerns around restaurants closing in the core. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. 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Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorBut he told Postmedia Tuesday that the city has already begun work addressing those issues, and others like safety and getting more people Downtown. “We’ve got more work coming, and we’re not done by any stretch. So these recent investments are positive, but they should not be seen as the end. They should be seen really as the start of what needs to be continuous and ongoing work,” he said. He said the city began looking into close to 24-7 construction last year in certain locations to expedite projects. He added that the work near 104 Street and 102 Avenue, which employed a quick work schedule, reopened two weeks early. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWhen it comes to safety, Knack said the city has hired another 30 transit peace officers who will mainly work out of Downtown. City council has been working with the province to address issues with the mental health and addiction crisis, he said. Knack said getting more people living Downtown is another top priority, and projects like O’day-min Park and the nearby apartment buildings will help bring population into the core. Knack’s comments follow closures at downtown eateries Greta and Bündok, announced days apart from each other. They are the latest in a string of exits from established Downtown dining spots, now driving business leaders to speak up over concerns with recovery. Greta owner Chris DeCock cited construction impacts and access into Downtown as the biggest barriers to success. But DeCock said it was also “death by a thousand cuts” as factors like paid parking, patio fees, higher taxes and other rising costs were making it difficult to operate. Cheryll Watson, chairwoman of the Downtown Revitalization Coalition, said what’s happening in Downtown is a full-blown crisis that city leaders aren’t fully grasping. “This is now becoming a pattern of evidence,” Watson said. “I think that we’re well past the point of (leaders) talking about what they’ve done in the past, and I think that the situation should be treated as a crisis. ”For Watson, that means city council should forego its summer break until they come up with solutions and direct the administration to make immediate changes to construction. Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson said she passed a recent motion asking city administration to put together a policy around business-friendly construction. She said this follows the success seen with the accelerated construction schedules. She agreed that construction issues are the main concern she hears about from businesses Downtown, but also noted that restaurants are facing a variety of factors like increased food prices and a declining trend in alcohol consumption. However, she also said Downtown is the healthiest it’s been in the past five years. “There are still challenges. There’s still a way to go, but we’re seeing so much success, so much building momentum in the core,” she said, pointing to fresh residential growth. Rob Browatzke, co-owner of Evolution Wonderlounge, said the city should cease new construction approvals for a year “just to let the dust settle because it’s been dusty now for six years. ”He said his bar endured 12 years of nonstop visible construction at its former location on 103 Street. “And none of it was leading to any positive change whatsoever,” he said. Then, construction followed to its new spot on Jasper Avenue, killing its first patio season. More construction came again this year. He still doesn’t understand why the work on Jasper Avenue was planned for the same time as LRT construction. While he said hindsight is 20/20, he wonders if the city is listening to people’s concerns. “They don’t want to take their blinders off, or they don’t want to admit that they were wrong,” he said. Bookmark our website and support our journalism:Don’t miss the news you need to know — addEdmontonJournal. comandEdmontonSun. comto your bookmarks andsign up for our newsletters here. 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