I see the aging pool as a great opportunity to revitalize the downtown with a large scale master planned development. One that could potentially be a catalyst for change and growth in Prince George.
We already have a renovated Keg, a new brewery going in, and a new pub in the vicinity as well as revitalization in the neighbourhood between Vancouver and Winnipeg Street. This is a start but we need something more.
Action Plan:
Demo the pool.
Demo the Days Inn.
Demo the Downtown Motel.
Demo YAP building (reincorporate into new development).
Turn the fire hall into an event space.
Utilize the existing undeveloped parking lots.
Create a large downtown park with a city square. A world class design that would draw people to the area. Utilize mixed use, low to mid rise buildings around the perimeter of Quebec and Sixth and incorporate into the design a pedestrian-only, Whistler-style village.
Incorporate the Coliseum, city hall, library, Civic Centre, art gallery, and future PAC lot into the master plan, with the majority of the development pedestrian only.
Multi story parking structure next to the development.
Host an annual winter festival.
Daily events in summer.
Farmers market in the square.
24hr security and partnership with RCMP to ensure that this is a safe and clean area for everyone with no tolerance for public intoxication or drug use. Strictly enforced.
Utilize "place making" as other communities are doing all across North America to revitalize their own downtowns.
Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo just to name a few, have all turned their downtowns into vibrant areas and desirable communities.
Why does Prince George have to be different? We can break the stigma that many people associate with Prince George if we think a little bigger and create a space like this in the city. I believe we have a great opportunity to finally turnaround our downtown with a place making development in this area. But it has to be done right.
The big question you're probably wondering is what developer would invest tens of millions in downtown Prince George. I don't have an answer for that. But I believe if the right incentives are offered, along with a partnership with the city for the land, the long term potential to revitalize downtown outweighs whatever further tax breaks or concession we may have to make that would allow something like this to happen here.
As much as I hate paying tax, I would gladly pay even more than I do now if it would allow me to have a beautiful, clean, safe and vibrant area downtown where I could go and spend time.
I would love to see the community get behind a project like this. Invite people to an information session and see what types of things they would want to incorporate into a masterplan that would get them to come downtown in the evenings or even move there. More community feedback going into the design would ensure people going to use the space.
The city has to take the lead and ensure that a masterplan is created that will be beneficial to Prince George and its future. And we need a large scale revitalization like this before anyone will ever move downtown in significant numbers.
Maybe we are just not ready. However, I believe we are, and if we build it they will come.
Jeff Skuggedal
Prince George
