Building Great Neighbourhoods: Malmo Plains - Community Feedback on Final Design

This online engagement is now closed.

Map showing the project area for Malmo Plains Neighbourhood Renewal, highlighting alley and shared-use path connections, roads and project limits.

Thank you for participating in the online engagement for Malmo Plains - Community Feedback on Final Design. The online survey and Ask A Question tool are now closed.

You can still view the questions and answers that were submitted on this page. The video on the proposed changes will also remain available on the project web page.

The feedback from the online engagement, including emails and phone calls from community members received by the Project Manager, will be used along with technical requirements and City policies and programs, to complete the design for renewal of the Malmo Plains neighbourhood.

If you have any questions, you can also contact the Planning & Design Project Manager (see Who’s Listening section for contact info).

Thank you for participating in the online engagement for Malmo Plains - Community Feedback on Final Design. The online survey and Ask A Question tool are now closed.

You can still view the questions and answers that were submitted on this page. The video on the proposed changes will also remain available on the project web page.

The feedback from the online engagement, including emails and phone calls from community members received by the Project Manager, will be used along with technical requirements and City policies and programs, to complete the design for renewal of the Malmo Plains neighbourhood.

If you have any questions, you can also contact the Planning & Design Project Manager (see Who’s Listening section for contact info).

This online engagement is now closed.

You can:

  • Ask a question directly to the Malmo Plains Neighbourhood Renewal project team.
  • Search and view community-submitted questions and official responses.
  • Type your question in the box below and click "Submit". Answers are provided within 5-7 business days of receipt.

Please review inquiries from the engagement in June 2020 to see if your question has already been answered.

  • How many objections to closing the LRT access alleyway were received and what were the concerns? What was the rationale the team used in changing the design to shared roadway given the neighborhood's stated values of accessibility and walkability? How does the rationale line up with the City's planning goals for the area e.g. as a development node? What is the status of shared roadway as a new design concept ? I don't see it in Complete Street Standards. When and how will its maintenance requirements be included in the Snow and Ice Control Policy?

    Peggy asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your questions. Project decisions are made by the City, considering technical requirements, City policies and programs and public input. 

    We heard there were concerns from the residents immediately next to the south LRT alley connection regarding access to their private driveways. Multiple phone calls and emails were received from residents along 111A Street about the south alley closure, as well as comments provided in the online survey. A What We Heard Report is available on the project web page edmonton.ca/BuildingMalmoPlains.

    The team looked at how vehicles will access these private garages from the north and south if the alleyways closed. We determined that access to/from these garages would require difficult turning movements such as multiple-point turns. Not only would these turns make it difficult for the residents, they would happen within an area where more people are walking and biking.  Due to these technical concerns the project team is not considering a shared roadway at this location.

    The idea of a shared road allows for a balance between pedestrians, cars and bikes, where no one has priority and each individual is responsible, which allows for a more instinctual interaction which promotes all users to participate safely.  Shared streets are identified in the Complete Street Design and Construction Standards and are considered where the speed is 5-20 km/hour and motor vehicle volumes are low. Building Great Neighbourhoods is working with Infrastructure Maintenance to consider the required updates to the Snow and Ice Policy to address the maintenance of shared streets.

  • Can this neighbourhood be considered for future alley renewal? They are horrible and dumpy. Also, garbage & recycling trucks need to be banned from alleys as they damage them after repaving.

    Axia asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. In 2018 the City of Edmonton approved the City funded Neighbourhood Alley Renewal Program to address the poor condition of alleys.  The goal of this long-term plan is to renew and rebuild alleys city-wide over the next 25 years.

    There is a significant backlog of alleys in poor condition with nearly 1,200 km to renew city-wide, including those in Malmo Plains. Alleys are visually inspected every 4 years and priority has been placed on elimination of the worst alleys where possible. Project selection and prioritization is primarily determined by considering a neighbourhood-wide approach of average alley neighbourhood condition and utility coordination. Reconstructed alleys will have a structure that is designed to carry garbage and recycling trucks.

    Any immediate safety issues should be reported by contacting 311, submitting online at edmonton.ca Report a Pothole or you can submit a photo through the 311 App.

  • For those with main street facing driveways, will the new sidewalks be sloped? If so, would it be possible to extend the width of the sloped section?

    AT asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your questions. During Neighbourhood Renewal, all legal driveways will be reconstructed with a drop curb for access. Without knowing your specific situation, our suggestion would be that you apply for a Development Permit to widen your access. Please visit edmonton.ca for more information or you may also email developmentpermits@edmonton.ca

  • Regarding proposed additional or replacement greenery, will the type of plants chosen be those that do not require a lot of care (regular pruning, watering, etc.) and will they be native species that can withstand our extremes of weather and temperature. I would not like to see more of the eyesore that is currently 122 street all the way from 34 Ave to the Fox Drive turn off. Plants that were added to the upgrade of 122 Street last year are uncared for and either unsuited to the divider between north and south traffic or are overgrown. We also have the uncertainty and terrible visual spectre of the former student housing at Michener Park. It is starting to feel very much like a run down ramshackle neighbourhood!

    HJ asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. The City of Edmonton is proud of its vast parkland and open spaces and works hard to maintain its biodiversity. Through responsible care and proper preservation practices, it can continue to be enjoyed by all.

    Through the use of naturalization, responsible herbicide use, multiple weed control techniques and mowing, the City of Edmonton controls weeds and promotes biodiversity in our green spaces.

    The plantings selected for the parks and open spaces in Malmo Plains may vary depending on the placement and what is currently planted in the area. The plants will be low maintenance, suitable for our climate and extreme temperatures and  locally hardy but not exclusively native species. 

    Please visit edmonton.ca to see parkland maintenance service levels. 

    Any immediate concerns with maintenance or safety should be reported by contacting 311, submitting an online service request at edmonton.ca or through the 311 App.

  • I live on Malmo road and on multiple attempts to get feedback I have not had this question answered : when the sidewalk is widened will that extra width be taken from the road (currently a very wide bus route that soon will be cancelled) or my property? I have several large evergreens that barely survived the last sidewalk construction when storm sewers we’re upgraded. I will not agree to have them removed since it seems odd to remove green and replace it with concrete in order to create this enhanced walk to Southgate

    Christine smith asked over 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. In general, the sidewalk will be widened both by narrowing the road and widening at the back of the existing walk. While the bus service on Malmo Road is changing, one-way bus traffic will still travel on this road, and Transit has asked to retain the ability for bus service to potentially return in the future, so only limited road narrowing is possible. 

    There is always some risk to tree health when a tree is close to the existing back of the sidewalk, even without widening as the construction itself needs some additional space. However, when we work around trees, we work closely with our urban foresters to preserve tree health as much as possible, using tools like air spading to carefully expose and identify structural roots, making local changes to the design such as narrowing or using a different sidewalk structure, as well as watering programs after construction.  

    Should any trees end up requiring removal, additional trees would be replanted in the neighbourhood. 

    If you would like to provide your address, please email the Project Manager (see Who's Listening section on this page) and we can work directly with you if any tree impacts are identified.

  • With the new sidewalks indicated on your video for Malmo Rd. I would like to suggest the curbs be the rounded type versus the straight vertical type (which is in use now on Malmo Rd.) I was also wondering how wide these new sidewalks will be along Malmo Rd. and if they will include re-bar to help reduce cracking (Also a problem with existing sidewalk...they are terrible and the city has not maintained them to date) I see there is no mention of pot hole repair for alleys.... Our alley at Malmo rd. and 49th Ave. is like a "land mine area" It needs attention NOW not in the future. thanks for your attention

    Stan asked over 3 years ago

    Straight-faced curbs are the standard curb type on collector roads and are required along bus-routes. They also improve the ability for the city to perform road rehabilitation in the future.  Any properties requiring front access will have drop curbs constructed for access. Sidewalks will be 1.8m wide and will have rebar installed as per the City Design and Construction Standards.

    Regarding the pothole repair for the alley, we have forwarded your concern directly to Infrastructure Maintenance for review.

    Any immediate safety issues should be reported by contacting 311, submitting online at edmonton.ca or you can submit a photo through the 311 App.

  • Who is discussing and who is deciding about snow removal on the shared use alley to the LRT?

    Peggy asked over 3 years ago

    Building Great Neighbourhoods is proposing shared roadways for the 2 east-west alleys with access to the LRT. We are in discussion with Infrastructure Maintenance to confirm what design considerations are required to help with snow clearing activities. Shared roadways are a new design guided by the City’s Complete Street Standards. The current Snow and Ice Control Policy needs to ensure that the frequency and maintenance requirements are consistent with the active transportation modes.