Walkability

(1) Overview to Walkability

Pineview was developed starting in the 1970's and continued through to the mid 1990's.

Pineview has a mix of curvilinear, cul-de-sacs, and crescents. The end of a cul-de-sacs or middle of crescents connect through to adjoining neighbourhoods using a grid of approximately 50 sidewalk shortcuts which creates quick and easy 15 minute walkable access or cycling access to meet day to day needs.

There is no need to create an additional concentration of services or amenities in Pineview thinking that walkability and day to day accessibility is going to improve. With the grid network of 50 shortcuts and many trails the walkability is already the norm throughout all areas of Pineview. nothing more needs to be done or said about walkability. 

Future planning should not focus on trying to create a "15 minute walkable city" in Pineview as the neighbourhood is already completely walkable.

Planning for the future should recognize that walking is not an inclusive method of mobility for all generations. Some generations cannot walk far let alone carry their day to day shopping while walking. A 15 minute walkability concept to complete day to day activities is not inclusive to all generations.

The young want to use their e-skateboard or bike or e-bike to get to their destination faster. The older generation recently have converted from walking and now have improved their mobility through the use of e-bikes and e-scooters to get to their destinations faster. 

Planning for the future needs to change from the 15 minute walkability buzzword and focus on support infrastructure for e-mobile equipment, centralized secure lock up cubicle areas, and e-bike charging stations at the gathering places, city community buildings, and at day to day shopping locations and services.

To support all generations the walk from a central secure lock up area to get to the business or services nearby needs to be 1 to 5 minutes which is suitable for all generations to walk that distance. This may mean more than one secure lock up area at the service or shopping locations.  

Planning for the future needs to look at the bigger picture with a future of e-mobile users which will allow all residents across multiple neighbourhoods to reach their amenities in adjoining neighbourhoods.

Thinking "15 minute walking" is too narrow of a scope and would create unnecessary duplicated concentrated patches of development instead of thinking of the bigger picture of inter neighbourhood mobility. 

This will prevent duplication of competing amenities and services as residents commute faster and will be less inclined to drive. 

Planning needs to include connecting the end of the wide asphalt trail systems that emerge from parks and connect them to the businesses, recreation, and other gathering places using the wide method of asphalt bike lanes. 

Currently the connection from parks to the business or services in some areas use an existing skinny concrete sidewalk which will not accommodate e-commuters and walkers side by side safely in the future.

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(2) Schools, Walk, Cycle, E-Mobile

Pineview is a 15 minute, or less walkable neighbourhood or faster cycle or E-Mobile neighbourhood to schools. 

Children walk, cycle, e-scooter, e-bike, or e-skateboard. 

Nothing further needs to be planned to make Pineview more walkable. There is no need for concentrated areas of future development. 

The west end of Pineview has one school which is attended by Pineview and Westpark children. The same shortcut system of sidewalks connects Westpark students to the schools. 

Planning in neighbourhoods should use terms that residents can resonate with and schools should not be referred to as nodes. The node term is not relevant. Students don't say I'm heading to the node to go to school.

The sidewalk shortcuts are one of the many characteristics of Pineview that attract families to the neighbourhood who are buying single family detached homes as each home has easy access to schools.   

Residents in various neighbourhoods are communicating that young families with students are moving onto their streets which in turn is creating a multi generation of residents of aging in place residents and new students and families. Linking Generations is naturally occurring. 

This trend of new families moving in should continue since all single family detached homes in Pineview are walkable to schools.

Below: The neighbourhood shortcuts are circled in green. Every neighbourhood has a shortcut for kids to get to school from every home in Pineview.

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(3) Businesses, Walk, Cycle and E-Mobile

Pineview has two retail plazas located at the central north east part of the neighbourhood and surrounded by retail amenities which are a 15 minute walk or faster by cycle or E-Mobile. This type of development in Pineview is what you also see in recently newly developed neighbourhoods such as Westpark which has the business areas located on the edge of the neighbourhood. 

There are over 116 business in and around the edge of the neighbourhood to meet the day to day shopping needs of residents. 

Pineview is well serviced with medical clinics, day cares, pharmacies, grocery stores, dental offices, financial institutions, salons, barbers, massage, flower shop, liquor stores, dry cleaners, pizza shops, coffee shops, fast food shops, gyms, nail salons, smoke shop, restaurants, yoga, pet stores, furniture, hardware, tire shops, department stores, physio, hearing, eye doctor, banks, bread shop, oil change, clothing, 5 convenience stores/gas stations to name a few.

Nothing further needs to be planned to add more amenities or make these areas more walkable.

These businesses meet the needs of residents for their day to day shopping and are located within a walkable or faster e-mobile location in or around the edge of the Pineview neighbourhood.

•  1. SW edge of the neighbourhood.

• 2. West edge of the neighbourhood.

• 3. South edge of the neighbourhood.

• 4. SE edge of the neighbourhood. 

• 5. Central NE in the neighbourhood.

Below: Every resident has amenities within a walkable or cycling distance. In most cases the 15 minute walking or cycling radius from each retail hub overlaps with walkability or cyclability from other retail hubs that surround Pineview. 

(Note: The walking distance circles shown below is based on the moderate walking speed of 9 mins per KM. Based on a leisurely cycle speed of 4 mins per KM (14KPH) the distance from any shopping amenity is 6 minutes.) 

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(4) Recreational Amenities and Parks, Walk, Cycle and E-Mobile

Pineview is a 15 minute, or less, walkable neighbourhood or more efficiently and faster cycle or E-Mobile neighbourhood to the parks and recreation amenities. 

Nothing further needs to be planned to make these areas more walkable. 

Planning these areas should not be referred to as nodes. That term is not relevant. Residents don't say I'm heading over to the node to buy some milk.

The large parks running east to west in Pineview and the smaller neighbourhood parks are natural gathering places for the community with various recreational multigenerational amenities for all residents from children, youth, young adults and active agers. 

The recreational amenities used by multiple generations include outdoor rinks, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, pickleball courts, beach volleyball courts, indoor arena, playground equipment and basketball courts. 

The Pineview parks and the recreation amenities are the gathering place for all ages of residents from the neighbourhood plus from across Fort Saskatchewan.

Below: Every resident can use the shortcuts to quickly get to the central parks where multigenerational recreational amenities exist.

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(5) Transit Stops, Walk, Cycle and E-Mobile

The transit system encircles Pineview on the Ring Road and all homes are a short 10 minutes or less walk to the transit busses or faster by cycle, or e-mobile. 

There is a transit stop at the location of the businesses located in NE Pineview and at various locations on the Ring Road.

No future transit planning requirements are required other than the possible addition of secure lock up systems at each transit stop, and cycle carriers on the front or inside the busses. 

Below: Every resident has a very short walk using the shortcuts (circled in green) to get to the bus route.

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