Bryon Howard

On Feb 24, in the Calgary Herald there was an article on potential river crossings at 50 Ave SW over the Elbow River and Edworthy/Shaganappi over the Bow River. The URL is: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/Calgary+plans+bridges+cars/1319474/story.html.

The suggested river crossings are part of the City of Calgary’s new municipal plan combining land use and transportation planning, called Plan it Calgary. Three scenarios have been considered with regard to the future growth of the City:

1. Compact Scenario: The City grows within current boundaries including recently annexed lands through densification within current City boundaries.
2. Hybrid Scenario: The City expands outside current boundaries but a reduced rate of growth than previously experienced through densification within and outside current boundaries.
3. Dispersed Scenario: The City continues to expand outward with no or very little densification within current boundaries.

It is important to note that Calgary’s growth is already planned for the next 10-12 years. Plan it Calgary kicks in for the planning beyond the next 10-12 years. I think there are 32+ communities in the works right now (but the # needs to be confirmed).

River crossings are part of the Compact and Hybrid Scenario to link, in a circular pattern, the LRT lines that act like spokes from a hub radiating out of downtown.

The 50 Ave and Edworthy/Shaganappi bridges are meant to carry only transit. In theory this may be a good idea as it is difficult to travel east and west efficiently by transit in the City without going downtown.

There are several questions to ask, however, with respect to the potential 50 Ave SW bridge.

• How does one make sure the theory is actually implemented as intended?
• Do the economics make sense to build a 1 or 2 lane bridge spanning 1km over the Elbow River?
• Will a transit bridge be the thin edge of the wedge resulting in a 4 lane or wider bridge over the Elbow in the future that will eventually accommodate transit + cars + trucks? The trucking industry has always been in favour of a 50 Ave bridge enabling a route to Deerfoot because it gets the trucks off Glenmore Trail and the causeway. Toxic spills are less of a problem if they occur after the Glenmore Dam i.e. after Calgary has taken out its drinking water. Some residents in Elbow Park and Mount Royal feel that a 50 Ave bridge will solve their community’s traffic problems and shortcutting. I mention this to illustrate that there is pressure for the 50 Ave bridge to be more than a transit bridge.
• Has the triple bottom line been calculated in all scenarios being considered by the City? The triple bottom line is evaluating the social, environmental and economic aspects of a certain choice of action.
• It is my understanding that in-depth modelling has only been done on 1 of the 3 scenarios, so what kind of benchmarking is being used to consider the other options?

Please be clear that I personally and certainly support reduced urban sprawl and more effective land use/transportation planning within the current boundaries of the City. However questions need to be asked and answered to ensure that the best decisions are being made for the benefit of the common good. What is very clear is that the City is not magically making any more green space within the inner city. There is the potential for increased pressure on existing green spaces because they are easier and cheaper economically to develop than expropriating houses. Please see the attached article from Landscape Architecture, Feb, 2009.

Therefore I encourage you to find out more about Plan it Calgary at any of the following open houses that are occurring in March. See more dates within these pages.

MARCH 9 TO 14 - Plan It Calgary March Open House Series

Plan it Calgary will be hosting five open houses in March to provide the
public an opportunity to learn more about the Draft Municipal Development
Plan and Calgary Transportation Plan. Please make sure your community
association sends representatives to the open houses and is paying
attention to this important city-wide plan in March. Consultation closes in
mid-April and the plan will go to Calgary Planning Commission and Council
later in the spring.

Central South
March 9, 2009
Carriage House Inn
9030 Macleod Trail SE
4:00 - 8:00 pm, with presentations at 4:30 and 7:00

North West
March 10, 2009
Best Western - Village Park Inn
1804 Crowchild Trail NW
4:00 - 8:00 pm, with presentations at 4:30 and 7:00

South East
March 11, 2009
Glenmore Inn
2720 Glenmore Trail SE
4:00 - 8:00 pm, with presentations at 4:30 and 7:00

North East
March 12, 2009
Coast Plaza Hotel
1316-33 Street NE
4:00 - 8:00 pm, with presentations at 4:30 and 7:00

Inner City
March 14, 2009
Telus Convention Centre
11:00 am - 3:00 pm, with presentations at 11:30 am and 2:00 pm

For those unable to attend, information including presentation material and
other Open House material will be available at www.calgary.ca/planit on
March 9, 2009.

Peanuts Soccer is back!!

Peanuts Soccer Registration will open to SCCA members in late March. Notification of time and location will be sent out via e-mail to all current SCCA members in early March.

Don't miss out on this fabulous soccer program for 3-5 year olds. Sign up for your SCCA membership today by visiting our website at www.southcalgarycommunity.ca

To check the status of your membership account, e-mail our Membership Director at membership@southcalgarycommunity.ca

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