Terrace’s proposed centennial legacy project is moving ahead, with council approving funding to continue developing plans for a new public space and feature area in the downtown core.
At Monday’s council meeting, council endorsed the Centennial Advisory Committee’s recommended direction for the project and approved reallocating $30,000 from general surplus to support the next stage of design work, project costing and implementation planning.
The proposed project is now focused on the intersection of Greig Avenue and Sparks Street after staff determined there were limitations with earlier concepts considered around the George Little House area.
According to a staff report, constraints at George Little House included limited City-owned land, fewer opportunities for meaningful wayfinding signage and limited capacity for a larger-scale feature installation.
Instead, staff shifted focus to what they described as a more visible and impactful location within the downtown core.
The proposed centennial project would combine infrastructure improvements with placemaking features intended to create a permanent and highly visible community feature.
Plans currently being explored include the installation of a new crosswalk, construction of a pedestrian concrete island with plantings and accessibility improvements such as curb letdowns. Staff are also proposing a public space featuring enhanced landscaping and hardscape treatments, a signature public art or sculpture installation, seating areas and wayfinding signage that aligns with the City’s existing wayfinding strategy.
The city said the project would also create a direct connection between the Grand Trunk Pathway and the downtown core through the proposed crosswalk.
During council discussion, some members questioned whether the proposal felt large enough to properly mark Terrace’s upcoming 100th anniversary.
Councillor James Cordeiro said his initial reaction was that the proposal felt “a bit underwhelming,” adding that a Centennial project could be expected to deliver something larger in scale.
Staff responded by clarifying that the crosswalk itself was only one piece of a broader vision and that further design work could include larger public features and historical elements.
Mayor Sean Bujtas acknowledged the difficulty of balancing larger ambitions with financial realities.
“You’d like to have something grandiose and something big,” he said during discussion. “But the reality is we’re also not in the financial position to do that unless you can find grant money, which is not that easy to come by for these kinds of projects.”
Staff noted the approved $30,000 would fund only the preliminary planning and design phase, with construction costs still to be determined.
Once concept development and project scoping work is complete, staff will return to council with updated cost estimates and potential future funding requirements.
