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Council leans toward distributed seating and a 'reset' for Albert Alfresco after safety concerns
Summary
After outreach to downtown groups, the council signaled support for distributing seasonal seating across downtown rather than maintaining large permanent furniture in a closed Albert street; staff will return with a plan that prioritizes safety and event activation.
City staff presented three options for the Albert Alfresco program and downtown seating at the March 10 meeting: (1) keep the current road-closure model and furniture; (2) distribute seating across downtown without a continuous road closure; or (3) a hybrid combining elements of both.
The Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Solutions Committee recommended option 2 (distributed seating) with the further suggestion of removing seasonal furniture while investing in event-based activation. Police and residential stakeholders favored option 2 on safety and livability grounds. Staff said the current inventory is heavy and difficult to move, so any change would likely require buying lightweight, modular furnishings for event use.
Several council members said they favored a temporary "reset" of the Alfresco program to address recent public-safety concerns and to reimagine downtown activation; they asked staff to return with a final plan including costs and a maintenance/installation schedule. Council directed staff to prioritize a distributed approach with limited event-focused furniture and to allow lightweight modular pieces for concerts and weekend activations rather than permanent seasonal installations.
No ordinance or vote was taken; staff will incorporate board feedback and return with a recommendation for council action.
