Following a large protest by area residents Monday evening and a meeting of Edmonton City Council on Tuesday, the city has agreed to make some changes to its plans to remove a large section of on-street parking along 50th Street to allow for the installation of bike lanes.
The original plan called for on-street parking to be removed between 102 Avenue and 109A Avenue, an idea that drew several dozen residents from the communities of Fulton, Capilano and Goldbar to gather along the street Monday evening in protest.
The city’s original plan called for on street parking to be removed along 50 Street between on-street parking to be removed between 102 Avenue and 109A Avenue to allow for the building of bike lanes.
Global News
“We have over close to 200 houses along both routes that this is their primary parking,” said protester Chris Short.
“We get arguments from people that, ‘Oh, well use your lane, use your garage,’ but a lot of houses don’t have a lane because we’re on a slope down to the river — we’re terraced down — and garages built in the area were built in the late ’50s early ’60s so most newer vehicles, SUVs can’t fit into them.”
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
The protesters claim putting bike lanes in front of the houses would be especially inconvenient for the many seniors who live in the area.
“We want to work with the city,” said Ginny Archer. “We want to have our parking and the ability get to our house, ability for emergency services to get to houses, home care — all of these things.
“A lot of our residents are seniors. Bike lanes are great, but we can do both. We can have parking and bike lanes.”
On Tuesday, the protests appear to have some sway on the city.
Following a meeting of council, area councillor Ashley Salvador said there is an alternate plan that city administration has been directed to move forward with.
It would maintain on-street parking for about half the originally affected stretch of 50 Street.
“We’re looking at how to accommodate everyone,” said Salvador.
Describing it as “the best scenario possible,” Mayor Andrew Knack said, “Here’s a great example of where you can add bike infrastructure, maintain your lanes of traffic, maintain your parking — why wouldn’t you do it?”
However, the alternative design does come at a cost.
It is projected to cost about $4.9 million, compared to the cost of the initial plan which was $4.2 million.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.