Ritchie

For years 76 Avenue has been a major east/west route connecting the Ritchie and King Edward Park neighbourhoods. Part of the route includes crossing the Mill Creek Ravine which it currently does with the roadway built on top a culvert. The city’s initial plan was to perform maintenance on the culvert and repair the roadway sometime in the future but that may change.

The city has planned to replace the nearby Mill Creek Ravine trestle bridge and the culvert on 76 Avenue which are included in the 2023-2026 capital budget. After further review the city is considering removing the culvert and building a bridge for vehicular traffic on 76 Avenue instead.

Cheryl Villetard of Paths for People has proposed that the city consider a BOLD idea which is to close the Millcreek portion of 76 Avenue to vehicles, reroute the creek back to ground level and renaturalize the area. Villetard said Paths for People will continue to advocate for the proposal before the city’s work on the trestle bridge begins.

The proposed Boyle Street Community Services (BSCS) Hub Centre in Strathcona/West Ritchie has been put on hold because their development permit has been revoked. The reason the permit was revoked has to do with parking lot security and surveillance issue and could possibly be reapplied for.

People living and operating businesses near the proposed location, have long voiced their concern saying they fear an increase in crime, a decrease in safety and the overall deterioration of the neighbourhood.

Rob Bligh with the Scona Concerned Citizens group says “when you put the people who have consumed illegal street drugs that are untested, unknown in quantity and impact, and then they leave the facility out to the general public, it creates danger, so it’s all about location”.

Glass Bookshop, a popular independent bookstore that has been in the Ritchie ares since 2018 just announced that it is closing shop. Glass Bookshop highlighted independent and Canadian writing, hosted community events and book clubs as well as providing a platform for local artists. Glass Bookshop will be missed.