Alley-oooh! Edmonton's efforts to create plaza paying off for Old Strathcona businesses, residents

A City of Edmonton effort six years in the making to inject life into an Old Strathcona alley is taking root.

The Backstreet program is starting to help make the space just north of Whyte Avenue between Gateway Boulevard and Calgary Trail an attractive destination.

What was once a dusty, gravel-strewn patch has been transformed into a public plaza of sorts.

Jeff Nachtigall has seen its transformation firsthand, with his Sugared and Spiced bakery moving into a storefront facing the alley at the beginning of the transformation effort.

"There’s a nice little community back in here," Nachtigall told CTV News Edmonton on Friday. "We knew there was going to be some obstacles, but we saw the vision for the area."

It was a bit of a battle for Nachtigall to attract customers past wayward construction signs, convince the city to fill potholes and fix winter drainage issues, but today -- thanks to the ongoing work to reshape the space, including the removal of a gravel parking lot and the addition of a public seating area -- the alley is becoming a magnet for people in the area.

"There’s always people lingering here, and especially during the Fringe right now, I think having a space that can allow people to gather and just hang out (is good)," said Cherie Klassen, head of the Old Strathcona Business Association.

Today, a cafe and a cocktail bar have joined Sugared and Spiced on the plaza. People are living in condos above and more businesses are slated to move in soon, taking advantage of cheaper leases and the attractive atmosphere.

There are still issues — Nachtigall says he wishes there were fewer dumpsters there — but there are plans to keep improving the space and for the city to activate more alleys like the one off Whyte.

"People just hang out, you know? It’s a little spot kind of on Whyte Ave that’s not six feet from cars," Nachtigall said. "This isn’t lipstick on a pig kind of project. This is a solid foundation for a good area that’ll last a long time."