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Edmontonians can now enjoy the city’s first ‘green street,’ which opened Wednesday.

The almost five-block stretch along 96 Street from Jasper Avenue to 103A Street uses special soil systems that are designed to capture rainfall. The water will be used to water trees and vegetation in the area.

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The road, referred to as the Armature, is part of the Quarters Downtown revitalization project for the area. The opening marks an important milestone in the project which received $100 million from the city council.

“The Armature is a cornerstone of the Quarters Downtown revitalization and its completion signals great progress for this community,” said Mary Ann Debrinski, director of urban renewal.

The street is pedestrian-oriented with stone walkways and modern-style benches. Several bike stands have also been installed to encourage cyclists who have equal standing with automobiles on the shared road.

Jack Farrell has lived on the street for 22 years and has seen quite a few changes.

“They’ve really cleaned the street out. It looks really nice and I think it’s a great idea.”

The stretch is expected to be the heart of the Quarters Downtown, attracting development including the newly-opened Hyatt Place Hotel.

For now, the shiny glass hotel is one of the few new buildings on the street that is juxtaposed against several older heritage-like buildings, some of which have been torn down.