Project News and Highlights
B&A Re-imagines Bonnie Doon
Edmonton’s Bonnie Doon Centre is a service, retail and community hub that will be transitioned to meet the needs of existing and future residents. Since 2017, B&A has been working with Morguard Investments (Morguard) to re-imagine Edmonton’s Bonnie Doon Centre, leveraging the City’s policy direction and investment in transit.
Redeveloping Bonnie Doon Centre establishes a significant Transit Oriented Development (TOD) node along Edmonton’s new Valley LRT Line; a major transit corridor for the City of Edmonton. The comprehensive rezoning proposal accommodates five districts that will include a medium and high density development with a mix of uses supported by a significant amount of open space and a connected street grid. The proposed redevelopment presents Edmonton with a unique city-building opportunity that will bring the community vision to life.
Brian Murray, an Associate at B&A, says, “As a significant TOD project in the City, the proposed redevelopment will evolve over the next 20 to 30 years to become a vibrant urban community. It will leverage transit, complement Edmonton’s thriving core and offer a range of amenities and services that foster a high quality life for existing and new residents, while continuing as a community hub that is responsive to the changing demands of the community.”
As the lead planning consultant, B&A, along with an expert team of consultants, is providing master planning and land-use redesignation services, as well as, stakeholder engagement support to Morguard to coordinate the redevelopment and comprehensive rezoning application.
B&A Completes City of Leduc Project
Following more than a year of intense public engagement and internal planning, B&A successfully helped the City of Leduc (the City) complete its Community Vision and 2019-2022 Strategic Plan.
The Strategic Plan sets out Council’s priorities for the term with guidance to City Administration to help achieve their vision for their community’s vision. Essentially, it is Council’s commitment to the community.
B&A’s role on this project included:
- Project management, client and Council relations and project delivery.
- Support to the strategic planning team and input into the goals, objectives and outcomes for the corporation.
- The development of an engagement brand that could be used as a symbol going forward for any City project that requires engagement. The most significant aspect was the development of an engagement website (www.engage.leduc.ca) to host all future engagement projects.
- The production and implementation of an expansive public engagement campaign to collect the perspectives of the public, visitors, City staff and community leaders. Mechanisms included online surveys, public open houses, workshops and pop-up engagement hubs.
- Development of a communications campaign to share project updates and invite participants to get involved. Tools and tactics included social media, website updates, video, newspaper advertisements, email blasts, street signage and mail outs.
- Evaluation of all input received and the development and design of the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan.
This project was led by B&A’s Brian Murray, our Edmonton office lead, who says it was an exciting project to be awarded shortly after opening the Edmonton branch.
“This project gave us a valuable opportunity to showcase what in-depth engagement looks like both to a Council that is trying to enhance their profile in the community, and to the residents,” Brian explains. “We were able to take all of the great feedback we heard to the next level by incorporating it into a roadmap which was the Strategic Plan. We are very proud to have been involved in a project that was truly ground-breaking for the client.”
To learn more about this project, please visit the website at: www.engage.leduc.ca
TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. Continues to Look to B&A for Planning Support
For two years B&A has worked closely with TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. (TCPL) to manage their public land use referral program for western Canada and has recently been brought on board to lead the same program in the province of Quebec.
This project helps TCPL monitor their pipelines throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as their Trans Quebec & Maritimes Pipeline Inc. assets to ensure that any development that occurs in close proximity to their pipelines is done so safely and effectively.
Russ Leedham, a Community Planner and Senior Planning Technician at B&A, is the primary lead on both project and says that TCPL is a core client in our energy portfolio, and following several successful years working with them in western Canada we are pleased to provide land planning services in Quebec.
“This is a really significant work for us – it is our first project in Quebec and we are working in close collaboration with CIMA+, an engineering and urban planning located in Gatineau, to best manage the on-the-ground work and to assist with translation,” Russ explains. “It has also required the services of our GIS, Communications and Engagement and Land Planning departments at B&A.”
Both the western Canada and Quebec projects consist of three main tasks:
- Receive and manage referrals from the public. If development is being proposed within 30 metres of a TCPL asset, the company requires a referral from the proponent before they can approve the proposed project.
- Proactively communicate with audiences across Canada what information is required to complete their projects, and why.
- Develop supporting tools to enhance effective communication between all audiences.
- Through this work, it is TCPL’s intent is to encourage the following practices:
- Help prevent third party damage to pipelines;
- Restrict unwarranted crossings;
- Proactively identify development with an increase in density that may prompt timely and costly pipeline class upgrades, and;
- Fostering of relationships to enhance collaboration among all interested parties.
Russ says he looks forward to continued collaboration with TCPL and CIMA+ as we break new ground in Quebec.
B&A Assists Canal Flats with Transformation
It’s an old story that needs a new ending. The sawmill shuts down in a one-industry town, the people leave, the school closes and…you know the rest.
In 2015, the Village of Canal Flats (the Village), located in British Columbia’s Kootenay region, lost a major employer when a large sawmill that was in operation for 100 years permanently closed. With challenge and change comes opportunity and the Village isn’t sitting back and putting up closed signs. On the contrary, this Village of just under 700 people located in a beautiful natural setting of lakes, rivers, and mountains has ambitious plans for a new rebirth and transformation and B&A will be there to help.
The Village recently initiated four new projects including major updates to its Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw. B&A in partnership with 1st Principles Planning will provide leadership and expertise on the OCP and Zoning Bylaw.
Jonathan Schmidt, a Senior Municipal Planner at B&A says, “B&A’s planning, urban design, and engagement team members are excited to help with the Village’s transformation and vision for the future. The opportunity to align the OCP with the Village’s Zoning Bylaw will ensure strong implementation of the community’s new vision.”
Jonathan says that B&A is also privileged to be assisting with the Village’s Industrial Land Strategy, a complementary project focused on re-envisioning the former sawmill site.
“The successful transformation of single industry communities into vibrant, economically resilient places is a significant challenge that involves expertise from many disciplines, including planning, economics, urban design, and engineering,” Jonathan continues. “B&A is thrilled to bring our expertise in leading multi-disciplinary teams to assist with this transformation of the Village of Canal Flats.”
B&A celebrates adoption of Stoney Nakoda – Tsuut’ina Tribal Council Ltd. Strategic Plan.
Since June 2017, B&A’s Nathan Petherick, Blaise Fontaine and Jonathan Schmidt have worked with the Stoney Nakoda – Tsuut’ina Tribal Council Ltd. to facilitate the development of the organizations initial strategic plan.
As a foundational document establishing the organizations vision, mission, values and goals/ actions relating to priority portfolio areas, B&A is honoured to work on this project with member Chiefs and senior administration to facilitate the formation of this cornerstone document. The strategic plan was adopted by the Tribal Council Board of Directors in the May 2018.
Strategic Planning is not a new line of work for B&A, and when the newly established Tribal Council approached the firm in June 2017, the team found themselves in a uniquely privileged position to collaborate with the member nation Chiefs and administration to bring their vision for a successful and prosperous organization to life. It was critical to everyone involved that attention was paid to previous collaboration between the four Nations, and that the facilitation of the workshops and supplementary engagements was undertaken with culturally-appropriate materials and mechanisms.
The team’s previous and ongoing professional experience working with municipalities, organizations and Indigenous communities throughout Western Canada to develop and implement strategic planning initiatives and community development plans served as a strong foundation for the project.
B&A remains proud of this work and looks forward to continuing our relationship with the Tribal Council and member communities on an array of initiatives relating to strategic plan implementation.
