In a media announcement Friday morning, Mayor Lyn Hall set out a comprehensive list of changes in the works for Prince George's downtown.
Hall spoke at a media event next to a map showing various developments planned for the downtown core in the coming months and years. These developments include a new housing project planned for the corner of Patricia Blvd. and Queensway, the new Marriott Hotel, the new pool replacement for the Four Seasons on Sixth Avenue., a new hotel on Sixth Avenue between Quebec and Dominion Streets and the construction of a new front entrance for the Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library. In addition to these developments, council has plans to establish a new park next to the Wood Innovation and Design Centre and has announced a move of the Farmers Market to the building that formerly housed the Bank of Montreal on Third Avenue and Quebec Street.
“If you run for council in Prince George, sometime during the campaign, you're going to be asked 'what are you going to do about downtown?'” Hall said during the event.
“Today is about recognizing the unprecedented development in downtown Prince George that we have not seen in a very very long time.”
The event on Friday was also attended by Coun. Murry Kraus and Coun. Frank Everitt.
The construction for these projects may cause some traffic and parking snarls over the course of the Spring. As of Monday, portions of George Street and Sixth Avenue will be permanently closed to traffic, and a section of George Street between Seventh Avenue and Patricia Boulevard will also be closed to allow for the construction of a new parkade near City Hall.
Other utility operations, aimed at replacing water, sanitary sewer and storm water infrastructure, are also planned in the coming months.
Hall acknowledged that the construction might involve parking issues, particularly near the Keg restaurant on George Street and Sixth Avenue.
"We have bylaw services looking at alternate parking locations, we're looking at signage for locations like the Keg and other restaurants and businesses. So there's a signage that will direct them to parking or direct them to those various locations," Hall said.
Hall said the proposed housing development on the corner of Patricia Boulevard and Queensway will accomplish what many previous mayors have attempted to do in Prince George: bring a sizable residential population into the heart of the city.
“I think one of the things that was always missing was an opportunity for people to live downtown, to shop downtown, participate in the downtown core and now with the condo development that we're seeing, that's going to be key," Hall said.
"We knew that if we had people living downtown, and there is a market for that – people do want to live downtown – we knew that would then be the impetus for people to start developing businesses and an entertainment district."
Mayor Lyn Hall provides an overview of planned developments in the downtown #cityofPG pic.twitter.com/ZuD7xXQkVD
— Stuart Neatby (@stu_neatby) April 20, 2018
Other familiar landmarks are due for demolition over the summer. The old RCMP building on the corner of 10th Avenue and Brunswick Street is slated for a $755,000 demolition. The site is currently up for sale.
In addition, the former Days Inn hotel will be demolished to make way for the new pool, as will the Kings Inn Bible Store on 6th Ave. In addition, the current Farmers Market building next to the Keg on Sixth Avenue will also be demolished.
A map of the planned changes for the downtown can be viewed online at princegeorge.ca/downtown
