Background

Manage Friday and Saturday nights in hospitality zones (with similar resources and authority as an event manager for festivals), coordinating services, staffing and mobilization of what is needed. (see Framework)

What We’ve Done: In April 2007, a Facility Manager to plan and manage the public spaces for the other 9 to 5 in the Whyte Avenue hospitality zone was hired.

Future :  The need for a similar role has been identified on Jasper Avenue (see Jasper Avenue Entertainment Working Group).


STREET AS A VENUE - Whyte Avenue

“Old Strathcona is a great urban space. It has it all: a large residential population, cafes, shops, people, market, community, heritage buildings, and special events. It's really an ideal community," says architect David Murray.

The Area

• 30,000 residents
• 625+ businesses including 82 restaurants and 31 pubs/clubs
• 2 historic buildings, 9 live theatres, 3 attractions, farmers market, library, several parks
• Whyte Ave (E/W) – 32,000 vehicles/ day - major traffic route
• 103 and 104 Streets (N/S) – 20,000 vehicles/day
• University of Alberta – 35,000 students, many live in area
• Special events - Fringe Festival (1,010 performances in 11 days/half a million site visitors), Art Walk, Sidewalk Sales, Parades, Mothers Day Run, Sounds of Old Strathcona Music Festival 

History

The beginning of STREET AS A VENUE lies in the work of the Old Strathcona Task Force and the formation of the Old Stratcona Integrated Service Team in 2002 which was designed to increase communications of City departments within a specificed geographic area.


“The answer for every problem cannot always be another program or more money. Instead we must radically change the way government operates- shifting from top down bureaucracy to front-line decision making. Employees and communities want to change the way we work from the ground up.”