report for executive committee september 7, 2005...

Agenda Item No.: E.5.b.

2004 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements – Northwest Industrial Business Revitalization Zone Association

Recommendation:That the 2004 Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements of the Northwest Industrial Business Revitalization Zone Association be received for information.

Report SummaryThe Northwest Industrial Business Revitalization Zone Association has submitted its 2004 Annual Report and the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2004.

Report Under Bylaw 12926, the Northwest

Industrial Business Revitalization Zone Association is required to annually submit to Council an activity report and audited financial statements. Under the Procedures and Committees Bylaw 12300, the Association reports to Council through Executive Committee.

All documents have been reviewed by the Planning and Development Department to ensure conformance with all applicable provincial and municipal requirements for ongoing maintenance of Business Revitalization Zones in Edmonton.

Background Information Attached1. Northwest Industrial Business

Association Annual Report 2004 2. Northwest Industrial Business

Association Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2004 and Auditor’s Report to the Members

Routing: Executive CommitteeDelegation: A. Marshall, Executive DirectorWritten By: V. Gunderson, Office of the City ManagerJune 6, 2005 Northwest Industrial Business AssociationFile: 2005CBZN01 ( of 1)

E5b

Attachment 1

Northwest Industrial Business Association Annual Report 2004

Annual Report2004

Al Marshall – Executive DirectorJune 1, 2005

Attachment 1 - Page 1 of 7

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Background

The NorthWest Industrial Business Revitalization Zone Association was incorporated as a BRZ in December 2001. We are located in the north-west corner of Edmonton, an area west of 170 Street and north of 109 Avenue. Our members are primarily larger industrial businesses, the majority of whom are involved in manufacturing, distribution and industrial sales. There is a mix of locally owned, national and international business operations. Efficient transportation access and egress is a priority issue for the area.

The Association is managed by a board of directors elected from the membership at the Annual General Meeting held in October each year. There are currently six directors.

The 2004 Association Board of Directors are:

Chair Arthur Langner President and General Manager, Nortrux

Vice Chair Mark Caines Regional Vice President, Western Canada, Quebecor World Edmonton

Secretary Kenneth Zender President, Western Sterling Trucks Ltd.

Treasurer Jim Riddell Controller, Edmonton Kenworth Ltd.

Director Peter Ewaskow Fleet Supervisor, The Pepsi Bottling Group

Director Henry Noppers Director, Ford Credit, Edmonton Service Centre

All Board members are affiliated with businesses operating within the Association area. The Board meets on a bi-monthly schedule and at the call of the chair.

The day to day administration and management of the Association is provided by Al Marshall, who is contracted as a part-time Executive Director.


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His responsibilities are to provide the Association with a business office presence and manage the Association’s business affairs, to be the initial point of contact for the membership/business community and represent the Association at community, municipal and provincial levels.

2004 Activity

The Association area has seen tremendous industrial construction development with in excess of one million square feet of building space developed in 2004 and similar growth projected for 2005. The majority of the buildings were large industrial warehouses and distribution centres. Local Real Estate brokers state that they have waiting lists of industrial tenants looking for property in the area. The Association membership list increased 17% in 2004 with the majority of these being large industrial business expansions from other areas of the City.

2004 was the third year of operation for the Association. The Board pondered the question of “life after the overpass project”. The question initiated the decision to develop a rolling multi-year business plan to help the strategic planning process. The Association, being industrial in nature, has somewhat different member issues and infrastructure requirements than the other nine BRZ Associations in Edmonton. The business plan, completed with input from members and approved by the Board, identified a number of current and future issues and projects that the Association would focus on in 2004. One of these projects was to create a recognizable identity for the Association. This was accomplished with the valuable assistance of the City Planning and Development Department.

The single largest impact affecting our area this year was the completion and opening of the 184 Street and Yellowhead Trail interchange and CN grade separation project. This project had closed one of our primary truck routes to Yellowhead Trail for sixteen months. Vehicles were required to use detours and endure heavy peak hour traffic congestion. The opening has reconfigured all the traffic patterns in the area.

The NorthWest Industrial Business Association annual general meeting was held October 12, 2004 at the Simply Delicious Restaurant. The 2005 budget was presented and approved. The current Board agreed to stand for nomination and were re-elected for 2005. Two new board members also


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were elected bringing the Board up to eight members. Kenneth Zender took over from Arthur Langner as chair of the Board.

Current Projects

CN Rail Grade Separation on 184 Street:

The first project undertaken by the Association was to administer the Association membership’s financial commitment to the City in support of the CN Rail grade separation project on 184 Street. Through the support of the area business community, contributions from the Province and CN Rail, the City was able to move this project forward in the planning cycle to allow it to be completed in conjunction with the planned Yellowhead Trail/184 Street interchange. The membership financial support commitment totals $795,000, paid in equal instalments over 5 years.

Crime Patrols:

Crime in the industrial areas is a huge problem. Unlike residential neighbourhoods, the industrial areas are generally completely vacated by employees in the evenings and weekends. This is when the majority of the property crimes are committed.

The Community Police Radio Network (CPRN) are a civilian volunteer organization of General Radio Service (GRS) operators who assist the community in the detection and prevention of crime.

They were initiated in 1978 by the Crime Prevention Unit of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS). Under the direction of divisional police officers, members of CPRN undertake special directed patrols designed to provide additional information to investigators regarding criminal activity. Their observe and report role, utilizing their radio equipment, may provide immediate police response when a crime in progress is detected.

These patrols have traditionally focused on crime in residential neighborhoods, but thanks to the work of Cst. M. Letourneau at the West Police Station, a few patrols started working the industrial area. To encourage more patrolling in our industrial area the Association developed a pilot project of providing the patrollers with a gas coupon each time they


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patrolled in our area. This project has been very successful in increasing the number of CPRN members participating in each industrial patrol.

Edmonton Police Service statistics have shown a marked decrease in criminal activity in our area on the nights that the CPRN patrols were in the area.

Crime Signs:

In discussion with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) it was felt that a static crime prevention tool would also help deter crime in our area. A project was developed for the industrial area along the theme of the residential “Crime Watch” signage.

This project was funded jointly by the Association and EPS. Sixty two of the 24” X 30” signs were produced with twelve signs placed on poles at the entrances to the industrial area and fifty signs made available to Association members for posting on their properties.


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Parkland Project:

The Association recognized that the hundreds of our member’s employees do not have access to any parks or green spaces to take a break from work. Discussions were initiated with Edmonton Community Services with a view to identifying, allocating and developing some parkland space within our Association area. In late 2003 a provincially owned lowland area with a 30 metre wide shoreline (developer owned) was identified as a parkland area. It is designated as municipal/environmental reserve. A second area, contiguous to the first, is awaiting development approval and will also be designated environmental reserve. This area is currently undeveloped and not accessible.

This area is currently under negotiation with the City by a developer who assures the Association that if he is successful in obtaining a development permit, he will respect our desire to develop parkland space for our employees.

Roadway Projects:

The portion of 111 Avenue between 170 Street and 178 Street was completed and opened in 2004. Traffic travelling west on 111 Avenue from downtown can now connect directly with Anthony Henday Drive. This route is becoming heavily used by local truck traffic and will eventually precipitate a request to Alberta Transportation for an interchange at 111 Avenue and Anthony Henday Drive.

The Association has been lobbying the City to upgrade 118 Avenue between 170 Street and 184 Street. The road bed requires rehabilitation and the entire length meets the criteria to be upgraded to four lanes with curb, gutters and sewers throughout.


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Safety

The Association has been keeping a close watch on traffic patterns in the area and has requested numerous traffic signal and crosswalk requirement studies be undertaken by the City. The safety of pedestrians crossing our busy roads is a priority. We have also requested the City to modify / repair a dangerous curve in the road at the west end of 118 Avenue.

Public Transportation

Along with land and building development, the employee population in our area is growing very quickly. We are moving from the employee requirement that “you will require your own transportation to work here” to “there is some peak hour public transportation available in the area”. The Association is monitoring the demand for public transportation to the newly developed areas and keeping an open communication with Edmonton Transit.

Summary

This was a “booming” year for the Association. The Northwest corner of the city is recognized as the distribution centre of Edmonton and there continues to be a high demand for developed space and City services to the area.

The Association will continue to spend its time looking into issues and potential projects, welcoming new members, responding to members’ inquiries and managing our current projects.

We endeavour to continue to stay in touch with our 130 members through newsletters and personal contact where possible. The nature of the large industrial businesses makes it difficult to ensure our information is always getting to the decision makers in each business.

AM


report for executive committee september 7, 2005...

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