Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Edmonton city council has voted in favour of an administration proposal to create special zones allowing increased building heights in Rossdale.
Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson, whose ward includes Rossdale, put forward a rezoning motion to allow for medium and large scale development on a parcel of land located within Rossdale Road, 97th Avenue, 105th Street and 102nd Street.
The parcel is next to the Rossdale Burial Site which is located at 101st Street and 96th Avenue. Itserves as a shared resting place for Métis residents, First Nations peoples that include members of the Papaschase First Nation, and early European settlers.
The motion passed 9 to 4 with Coun. Jo-Anne Wright, Karen Principe, Reed Clarke and Keren Tang voting against the motion.
The motion’s approval means a building of up to 15 storeys on the northwest portion of the site is allowed, which is an increase from the previous limit of 12 storeys.
However the proposal to create special zones was met with opposition that saw nearly 20 speakers come to city hall to make their concerns heard by city council.
Amber Paquette is Nehiyaw and Métis, and served as the sixth Historian Laureate for the City of Edmonton. Her opposition was rooted in the area’s historical significance.
“We have something special here that deserves to be protected, and it’s a place where families gathered for over 600 generations, there’s babies buried down there,” Paquette told CBC News.
“My, great, great, great uncle was one-and-a-half years old when he was put to rest down there lovingly by his parents, and I would hate to know … there’s perhaps somebody walking over him because they don’t know where he is.”
Paquette, who is also vice-president of the Indigenous Heritage Circle, said she is part of a team working on a framework to bring the federal government to consider federal protections for Indigenous cultural heritage sites.
“I would love to just see an actual comprehensive historical land-use study of that area, and it has to be specifically Indigenous-led,” she said.
“I do have concerns that certain stakeholders and people that are chosen to represent the city have different ideas, maybe preconceived ideas of what they’re going to find.”
WATCH | Residents speak out against Rossdale rezoning:
Taking a stance against Rossdale rezoning
City of Edmonton administration put forward a proposal to rezone a parcel of land in the Rossdale area. As the CBC’s Tristan Mottershead reports, a public hearing drew in a handful of residents voicing their opposition.
Paperchase First Nation Chief Calvin Bruneau told council he supports the rezoning because ofpotential economic development benefits for the First Nation, but notes the city should move with caution.
“Have site monitoring archeologists on site, because you never know with Rossdale about human remains or artifacts.”
Multiple members of the Edmonton Stragglers, another First Nation band who have significant ties to the parcel of land, spoke in opposition to the rezoning.
“Our ancestors matter, their graves matter and descendants who carry their blood matter today,” Gerald Delorme told council.
Kristine Kowalchuk is chair of the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition and also advocated against the rezoning for environmental reasons. She pointed out Rossdale is on a floodplain and referenced the Flood of 1915.
“Cities everywhere are removing infrastructure and rewilding their floodplains as a way to work with water,” she said.“Why would we still try to do the opposite?”
Stevenson questioned administration on what considerations are in place for potential flooding to which a member of administration noted a report looking at the impacts of climate change on flooding would be coming at a later date.