Lacombe City council has approved street improvements on 49B Ave. to enhance accessibility, aesthetics, and safety.
These improvements are part of the city's bi-annual sidewalk Improvement Program and include additional benches, garbage cans, and green space. The new amenities will be in bulb-outs, which are primarily located in areas where parking is typically not Permitted.
These spaces will enhance aesthetics, provide functional seating, room for waste receptacles, and naturally slow vehicle speeds to improve pedestrian safety.
“Council is always looking for ways to improve our pedestrian spaces while ensuring residents can continue to access our downtown in whatever way they choose,” Mayor Creasey said.
“These improvements add safety, accessibility, and ensures residents and guests alike will continue to enjoy the look and feel of our downtown.”
Between 2004 and 2024, public parking has grown by 113 stalls, while private parking has increased by 23 stalls. While this project will reduce parking by two to three stalls on 49B Ave. it will maintain a three-year net positive parking balance.
The overall downtown parking capacity will see a net increase of about 20 stalls from 2023 to 2025 due to other planned projects.
These improvements follow a public survey conducted in 2023, which gathered input from residents and business owners regarding downtown streetscape priorities. Parking was ranked the top priority, receiving 220 first-place votes out of 352 responses.
Benches ranked second, followed by garbage cans in third place, and general landscaping in fourth place.
In addition to these changes, trees will be planted at the east end of 49B Ave. in the grassed Boulevard along Highway 2A, where there is sufficient space for them to grow sustainably while minimizing impacts to infrastructure.
