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Edmonton’s best opportunity to create new walkable, mixed-use districts isn’t around LRT stations, but around malls, according to an industry report.

Intelligence House and Colliers International identified six malls that have spent the most money upgrading since 2009: Londonderry, Kingsway, Southgate, Northgate/North Town, Capilano and Westmount. The report was commissioned by the City of Edmonton and released in December.

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Of course, an existing mall on a new LRT line is the very best opportunity, said the authors. But a site with a grocery store, movie theatre and other commercial amenities with a good road connection and a bus terminal has greater appeal than an LRT station without shopping, they wrote.

“You live, work and play. It’s all there,” Kevin Petterson, senior vice-president for Colliers International and co-author of the report, said Wednesday.

“Let’s capitalize on infrastructure we’ve already got,” he said, suggesting the same re-zoning and other incentives council is looking at around LRT stations should be applied to malls. New towers can go on the mall site, with new zoning for medium density in the immediate area.