Spring and summer recreation program registration now open

Say goodbye to winter with The City’s spring and summer Recreation programs, open for registration on February 26, online, in person and over the phone.

Not sure what programs are available? Our Spring/Summer Recreation Program Guide is now available; pick up a hard-copy or browse programs online. The guide contains hundreds of recreational opportunities to get you and your family more active, more often.


"The City of Calgary has a variety of programs to help you get outside and get moving as the weather warms up in our city,” says Brad Herman, recreation program specialist with The City of Calgary.

With dozens of facilities located throughout the city, including two leisure centres, 12 aquatic & fitness centres, seven golf courses, a soccer centre, a sailing school and more, there are many convenient locations for you and your family to take part in a variety of fitness related recreational programs, close to home.

3 steps to registering

1. Create or update your account
   - Create or login to your account on calgary.ca/liveandplay
   - Make sure all information is up-to-date
   - Once you have an account, you can call 403-268-3800 to add family members
2. Find your program
   - Pick up our Recreation Program Guide or browse programs online at calgary.ca/liveandplay
   TIP: Don’t want to select a specific program date/time? Leave the date selection blank, so you can see all of the options
   - Write down your desired program course IDs
   
3. Register for your program
   - Online with a credit card (Debit & VISA debit not accepted): calgary.ca/liveandplay
   - By phone: 403-268-3800
   - In person: Calgary Recreation Customer Service, Southland Leisure Centre or Village Square Leisure Centre  

Join us and get moving!

Students unveil final concepts for 4 Avenue Flyover Public Space Project

Over the past few months, Grade 6 students from the Langevin School and the University of Calgary’s Master of Architecture program, with input from the public, have been working together to reimagine how the space beneath the 4 Avenue flyover could become a valued community space and walking corridor.

On April 6, The City of Calgary will be hosting an Open House, and we invite you to participate in the process by helping us choose the design ideas you think will best enhance the community of Bridgeland for residents and businesses alike.

“It’s really cool to see everyone’s ideas in the group on paper,” said a Grade 6 student Anas K when asked how they felt about the process so far. “I can’t wait to see what this is going to look like in person. I can’t believe that our ideas will be turned into real life!”

Open house details:
Thursday, April 6 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Bridgeland Riverside Community Centre, 917 Centre Ave N.E.

Why this project?

Calgary’s first Pedestrian Strategy was approved in 2016 and includes 49 actions to make walking safer and more attractive.

This project was proposed by the Bridgeland Riverside Community Association in response to the Pedestrian Strategy and is being supported by The City of Calgary as an opportunity to:

• Create an attractive entrance to the community of Bridgeland 
• Offer an improved walking and cycling connection between Bridgeland, the downtown and river pathway network
• Enhance an under-used community public space
• Benefit from kids’ imaginations and new design practices being taught at the University level 
• Reveal a community-supported set of ideas that change this public space into a friendly and active part of the community 

Project timeline


Feedback from online and in-person engagement in January, along with input from the Community Association task force, was shared with the students from Langevin School and the U of C. Following a site visit in January, the students set out to put their ideas to paper.

Once their ideas were captured, the U of C Graduate Students then turned them into full-sized renderings which were presented to a panel of industry leaders and mentors in March. These industry experts helped refine the designs so they are ready for public input on April 6.

Following in-person and online engagement in April, the City will begin to build the final chosen concept in June.

To learn more about the project or to participate in our online survey (between April 6 and 16) to help pick the final design visit, Calgary.ca/flyover.

City hosts information sessions for projects in Inglewood and Ramsay

The City is investing in Inglewood and Ramsay to make life better every day. With more than 20 City projects under construction or under consideration, we know there’s a lot going on. We want to make sure you have the information you need and the opportunity to ask questions, so we’re bringing many of these projects together for two public information sessions. Drop in at either of our upcoming information sessions to learn more and provide your input. These events are identical but offered at different times.

Thursday, March 9
4 – 8 p.m.
Alexandra Centre
922 9 Ave SE

Saturday, March 11
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Festival Hall
1215 10 Ave SE

Drop in at any time to view the information boards and talk to the project teams. There will also be a brief presentation by the project manager every hour (at 5, 6, 7 p.m. on Thursday, and at 10, 11 a.m., 12 p.m. on Saturday).

We hope you can join us on one of these dates, but if you’re unable to attend, you’ll have the opportunity to provide online input beginning Thursday, March 9.

At the information session, you will learn more about:

• How The City is coordinating these projects to help create the best possible neighbourhood with the lowest impact to your everyday during construction 
• The 9 Avenue S.E. Main Streets Streetscapes project
• The 12 Street S.E. Bridge Replacement project
• The 9 Avenue S.E. Bridge Replacement project 
• The 25 Avenue S.E. LRT Grade Separation Study 
• The 17 Avenue S.E. BRT project 
• The Inglewood Storm Trunk project
• The Bioengineering project

You will also be able to provide your input on:

• The structure and design of the new 9 Avenue S.E. Bridge 
• Landscaping and commemoration of the 12 Street S.E. Bridge
• Priorities, ideas and concerns for the 25 Ave S.E. LRT Grade Separation Study
• How you like to receive information from The City
• How you like to provide input to The City
• Your transportation priorities and how you get into, out of and around your community

The City will be back later this spring to update you on project progress, and to collect more feedback, as each of the projects moves through their respective visioning, study, design or construction processes.

Learn more about what we’re working on in Ramsay and Inglewood at www.calgary.ca/InglewoodRamsay, and stay up-to-date on the latest news by subscribing to our mailing list.

Becoming the city we imagined

This month marks 10 years of work towards a shared view of Calgary's future through the imagineCALGARY Urban Sustainability Plan.

The plan includes a 100 year vision along with numerous long-term goals and targets, with a vision of making Calgary a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life.

10 Years ago, over 18,000 Calgarians contributed to the goals and aspirations of imagineCALGARY. The resulting award-winning plan envisioned a community in which Calgarians would:

• be connected to each other, our communities, and beyond;
• have a lighter footprint on the earth; and
• sense a vibrant, healthy, and strong community fabric.

Fast forward to today and the vision and core principles of imagineCALGARY have become deeply rooted in much of what we do as The City of Calgary and as a community.

As a community-owned plan, many people, organizations and businesses continue to work towards, or in the spirit of, the imagineCALGARY goals that are now embedded throughout The City's plans (such as the Municipal Development Plan, the Calgary Transportation Plan, the 2020 Sustainability Direction), and long-term sustainability goals for City business units such as Waste and Recycling, Water Resources, and Parks, to name a few. In addition, community efforts such as the Calgary Economic Development Strategy, Calgary Arts Development Strategy, Calgary’s community driven poverty reduction strategy (a.k.a. the Enough 4 All Strategy), and the Calgary Board of Education’s Sustainability Framework.

As our city evolves, emerging efforts continue to contribute towards our long-term vision. Initiatives related to innovation, community and economic resiliency, as well as initiatives that address climate change, all contribute to the imagineCALGARY vision and core principles.

To highlight people, places, projects, and movement being made towards the goals and aspirations of the imagineCALGARY plan, we'll be sharing 10 stories via the imagineCALGARY Twitter account and website. Watch for the storyboard display in the City Hall atrium from September 19-23!

We're excited to continue working with Calgarians and community partners every day to help ensure Calgary remains a great city to make a living, and a great city to make a life.

City launches new way to license your pet

Working together with pet owners we are making licensing your pet easier. This new, user-friendly, online Animal Services site has features such as the ability to sign-up for automatic renewal payments, which you told us you wanted.

Go paperless

Our new animal licensing site also allows you to:
• purchase or renew your pet license online;
• pay using Interac and credit card;
• order replacement pet tags online; and
• sign-up to go paperless.

With our new email notifications, never miss a pet licence renewal again. Just log onto the Animal Services site and then select the “Go paperless” button in your contact profile to turn on or off paper renewals and receive email reminders.

Licensing your pet

It’s important to remember that your pet’s license is their ticket home. Licensing your pet also supports our mission to create safe and healthy neighbourhoods. Our licensing fees are used to provide many services to Calgarians, including reuniting lost cats and dogs with owners, educating the public about responsible pet ownership, managing our cat and dog adoption programs and running our volunteer animal socialization programs.

Visit pets.calgary.ca to see the new site.

Submitted by Dustin Rogers, Calgary Community Standards

Heritage buildings, more than brick and stone

When Calgarians shared input about their main street neighbourhoods, many said that community character and heritage was something they wanted City Planners to consider for the future of these areas. We hit the streets with The City's Senior Heritage Planner, Clint Robertson, to learn more about heritage sites in Calgary—what are they, why are they important, and how we identify them.



There are thirteen main streets with identified heritage buildings. For a more in-depth look at the history of these areas, visit the main streets web pages below.

• Bowness Road NW
• Kensington Rd NW
• 10 St NW
• Centre St North
• Edmonton Trail NE
• 1 Ave NE
• 17 Ave SW
• 10 Ave SW
• 14 St SW
• 33 Ave SW
• 4 St SW
• 17 Ave SE
• 9 Ave SE

Interested in learning more about The City's Heritage Planning work?

Discover Historic Calgary locations

View historic resources by development era, architectural styles or original uses >

View map of historic resources >

To learn more, visit calgary.ca/heritage.

New cultural landmark in Nose Hill Park: Siksikaitsitapi medicine wheel offering site

Nose Hill Park recently became home to a new cultural landmark. In late September, members of the Blood Tribe built a traditional medicine wheel there as part of the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) conference.

The medicine wheel is constructed of rocks in the shape of the Siksikaitsitapi logo, a circle that represents all four member tribes: Siksiika, Blood, Northern and Southern Peigan.

Andy Black Water developed the concept and design. "It is meant to be an offering site,” says Black Water. “When people walk or bike through there, they can stop and make a small offering to our creator and be blessed. It's an opportunity for us as people to take a few moments from our daily routines to thank the creator."

Medicine wheels have been found across the Northern Plains of North America, some dating back thousands of years. For the past 15 years, the Siksikaitsitapi have been holding conferences throughout their traditional territory. At each conference, they set out landmarks to signify a spiritual connection to the land and an affirmation of interest in their traditional territory. The landmark is a testament of the Siksikaitsitapi's relationship with the land - a reciprocal relationship and also one of stewardship.

Nose Hill Park is an area of cultural and historical significance to the Siksikaitsitapi. Black Water explains, "The area was a look out for summer camps and winter camps. There is a view of the valley and people would look out for game or members of other tribes."

Black Water hopes that the medicine wheel will help educate all visitors to the area and share the history of the Siksikaitsitapi people. "It doesn't matter what faith you go with, our creator is the creator of all," he says, adding, "(The medicine wheel) is there for the benefit of all."

Michelle Reid, Cultural Landscape Management Lead for Calgary Parks, thinks the medicine wheel is a valuable addition to Nose Hill. “Parks play an important role in promoting Calgary’s cultural as well as natural landscape,” says Reid. “We are very happy that the Siksikaitsitapi chose this location.”

The medicine wheel is located in the southeast corner of the park, and is most easily accessed from pathways south of the 14th Street parking lot.

The sights and sounds of a new recreation facility

The year 2016 will be particularly special for southeast Calgarians who have a major need of recreation facilities in their communities. After years of engagement, planning, designing and constructing four new recreation facilities in southeast and northwest Calgary, the opening of two of those facilities are close to reality.

Rendering of the new Quarry Park Recreation Facility, opening 2016

I am so excited for the residents of Ogden, Riverbend, Quarry Park, Douglasdale/Glen, who will soon experience how the new Quarry Park Recreation Facility will make their community more complete. On the surface, the immediate impact will be better access to the recreation, sport, leisure and learning amenities these communities helped us identify would best serve their needs, but there is much more these facilities will bring.

Rendering of the view from the main lobby of the new
Great Plains Recreation Facility, opening 2016

The best way to describe how recreation can elevate a community is to describe the sights and sounds you’ll experience as you walk through the front door. Perhaps you’re picking up your child from daycare or from a class. You’ll recognize other parents from your neighbourhood doing the exact same thing and there is a chance to meet, converse and strengthen those connections. Around you is a steady flow of movement - some people carrying gym bags are headed to a fitness class, others are coming out enriched from the new full-service library. Around you are the sounds of a bouncing basketball, splashes from the leisure and lap pools, and footsteps from the running track above.

Further east and just north of Glenmore Trail at the Great Plains recreation facility, two multi-sport ice rinks will serve the competitive and leisure enthusiasts of ice sports. But great attention was also paid to make sure this would be a social experience for the fans. Among the familiar swoosh of blades gliding over the ice, there are plenty of spaces outside of the traditional seating areas where parents, grandparents and supporters can keep one eye on the ice while enjoying a conversation and connecting in a shared love of sport.

These are the wonderful experiences I have come across time and time again in my 35-year career working with City-owned recreation facilities. In the next 12 months or so as the Quarry Park and Great Plains facilities are used for the first time, I look forward to seeing the strengthened relationships, enriched families and a more active, vibrant and complete community for southeast Calgarians.


About the Author

Rob McAuley began his career with The City of Calgary 35 years ago in Aquatics. He is currently the manager of the New Recreation Facilities Project which is responsible for developing four new recreation facilities in Quarry Park, Great Plains, Seton and Rocky Ridge.

To learn more, visit www.calgary.ca/newreccentres

Planning healthy communities: If you are what you eat, then you are also where you live

The link between health and lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise is well documented. So too is the relationship between health and the built environment. The way we design our cities has real health impacts.

click to enlarge

I’m part of a team planning a new community in northeast Calgary (we’re calling the area Nose Creek), and we’re planning it with the health of its future residents, workers and visitors in mind.

In the early 1800s, communicable diseases posed a serious problem in part because of the lack of sanitary systems, tight living quarters without access to sunlight, air quality issues from nearby heavy industrialization and a shortage of green space. Planning urban areas differently helped to curb related health problems.

Since Nose Creek is in the early stages of planning, we have the opportunity to plan for health. We've come up with an area structure plan, which outlines the provision of essential services and facilities, land uses, transportation systems, population, jobs and the timing of development. Health is the vision and focus for the plan.

The foundation of this health-focused and inclusively-planned community originates from a set of planning principles outlined in a Health Impact Assessment developed by the Urban Land Institute’s Building Healthy Places Initiative. Once fully built, this area will provide residents the amenities and opportunities to make healthy choices.

Nose Creek's Healthy Planning Principles
Our plan will locate 20,000 office, light industrial, commercial and retail jobs in the community. This gives residents the option to work close to home; thereby increasing work-life balance by reducing time spent commuting and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

In fact, we’re doing something that’s never been done before in Calgary by creating what’s called an industrial hub – an area suitable for smaller warehouses ideal for contractors and artisans. This industrial area will be unlike most, featuring a plaza with shops and services for those who work in the area, pathways and sidewalks, green space and landscaping, and parking situated behind, not in front of buildings. Picture an enjoyable, healthy place to work. The connected pathway system through Nose Creek’s employment centre will support access by way of public transit, bike or foot in a safe environment.

We're also planning for a range of housing types, building forms, gathering spaces, employment opportunities and complimentary retail uses in Nose Creek that promote a healthy, active and safe lifestyle for all.

All Calgarians are invited to meet the Nose Creek Area Structure Plan project team and learn more about this new community at a public open house. Drop by between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 3 at the community kiosk (nearest entry 2) in CrossIron Mills.

This blog was written by Joyce Tang, a City Planner and development team lead for the Nose Creek Area Structure Plan. Learn more at www.calgary.ca/nosecreek. 

Kids build confidence and community through Summer Adventures

When Uchechi Akuanyionwu arrived in Calgary four months ago from the United Kingdom, her six-year-old daughter Chinelo was shy and uneasy around people outside her family. Fast forward through the summer and today the young girl’s social skills have improved so much, mom no longer worries how she’ll do starting school next week.

Uchechi credits The City’s Summer Adventures program, a seven-week summer day camp for six- to 12-year olds, for the changes she sees in her daughter.

And Uchechi’s not alone in singing the praises of the program. Other moms– Shaundy Smith, Rita Dong and Sukhwant Parmar – also expressed appreciation for the program and how their respective child blossomed by participating.



“Most of the time they play, but they learn a lot of things like skills...so they know how to handle (different) situations,” Sukhwant said. “It’s really good, we love it, we want to do it and we want to thank The City for starting this program.”

Group photo of Beltline Summer Adventure kids

Available for the first time this summer, Summer Adventures ran in select neighbourhoods and focused on different topics and skills based on the need of the community. One of the goals of the program was to build the kids’ awareness of community and diversity, their sense of belonging and their social abilities, all through fun, engaging activities in a safe environment.

Summer Adventures is one of several free community programs The City offers for children and youth each summer. While this year’s summer programs are ending, there are still opportunities for kids to get active and be social through other programs such as Calgary AfterSchool or those listed in the Fall Recreation Guide. Visit calgary.ca/summer or calgary.ca/communitysummerprograms to learn more.

Zero-parking buildings – the way of the future?

On May 13, 2015, Calgary City Council unanimously approved the city’s first zero-parking condominium, a condo without any car parking in the building. The development, to be located in the East Village, will be primarily residential with street-level commercial spaces for potential shops and restaurants. Tenants are to be provided with incentives to choose alternative modes of transportation, such as car share memberships. This approval highlights a shift in new housing development and transportation choices for Calgarians.

Zero-parking buildings have been appearing in other North American cities including Portland and Vancouver as car ownership is seen to decline as a trade off to other costs of living.

With emerging shifts in travel choices, such as an increase in cycling and transit use, The City of Calgary wants to know if you would ever consider living in a building with zero parking. Please complete our short survey before July 24, 2015 and let us know what you think. Your input will continue to help provide a general indication of interest in zero-parking buildings.

For more information on Calgary’s newly adopted parking policy and zero-parking development, check out the following links:

• The Multi – Family Parking Reduction Policy approved at Council (May 25, 2015)
• The N3 “zero-parking development” approved at Council (May 13, 2015)

Calgarians are talking about their main streets

Calgarians have been sharing their ideas and concerns to improve their main street neighborhoods.

Want to share your views? Attend upcoming information sessions being held across Calgary from April 21 to May 15.

This is part of a larger City initiative called Main Streets, which is exploring what growth and change is important to Calgary’s main streets.

“Right now we’re listening and learning about what matters most to the people who live, work and play in these areas,” says Kevin Barton, Lead Planner for Main Streets.

Between November and February, hundreds of Calgarians came to Main Streets workshops, participating in an astounding 1,000 hours of discussion about their main street neighborhoods. The number of people getting involved continues to climb as Calgarians share their ideas online as well.

We’re continuing the conversation this spring. Join us at any of the upcoming information sessions to see what other Calgarians have said, provide your input, share ideas, and chat with City planners about the future of your main street neighborhood.

To learn more, visit calgary.ca/mainstreets.

Upcoming information session topics

• 9 Avenue SE
• 4 Street SW
• Kensington Road NW (west of 14 Sstreet)
• Centre Street N & Edmonton Trail NE
• MacLeod Trail S (north) & MacLeod Trail SE
• Bowness Road NW (Bowness)
• Richmond Road SW
• 4 Street NW
• Bowness Road NW (Montgomery) & 16 Avenue NW (Montgomery)
• 16 Avenue N
• 36 Street NE & 32 Avenue NE
• 14 Street SW
• 33 Avenue SW (14 street to 18 street)
• 17 Avenue SW
• 37 Street SW
• 1 Avenue NE

Venture into your yard & check the health of trees

As temperatures warm up, it’s time to venture into your backyard and check your trees for damage that may still be there from the September snow storm last fall. Right now we estimate three quarters of the tree damage is located on private property.



Here are a few things to look for when caring for your trees:

• Comply with the Alberta elm pruning ban between March 31 and September 30. Alberta is one of the last geographic areas in North America to be free of Dutch elm disease. Elm trees are also one of the few types of shade trees that grow in Calgary so it is important to protect them.
• Consider all options before removing your trees. Tree have many benefits such as providing shade and cooling, slowing down storm water runoff, increasing property values and helping to keep people healthy and happy.
• Removing entire trees or large limbs can change the wind dynamics in a location or within the tree.
• Do not take the drastic step of “topping” your tree in an effort to control its size. Topping is the drastic cutting back of major branches. Topping may destroy the natural form of the tree and encourages the tree to put our weakly attached shoots which are more prone to damage.
• Practice safety first. Start with issues that will lead to major problems if ignored. Look for potential hazards such as major limbs that are still hanging in the canopy of the tree and/or trunks of trees that are split. These issues should be addressed as soon as possible, especially if there is a risk to injure people or damage property.
• Know your skill level. Consult with an International Society Arborist (ISA) certified arborist or a tree care company that employs ISA certified arborists. This could apply if trees need work in their canopy, large limbs need to be removed or specialized equipment is needed.

It’s important to look out for our trees not only for safety purposes but because they contribute many environmental, social, and economical benefits. Trees are one of a few assets that appreciate in value over time.

For more information on supporting your trees and recovering from the September 2014 Snow Storm, visit calgary.ca/trees.

Historic Eamon’s Building Future is Uncertain

Calgary’s City Council will soon be deciding the fate of the Eamon’s Service Station building, and if Calgarians want the building to remain as part of our citys Calgary’s landscape, they need to act soon.

Eamon's Service Station Building

A Calgary Herald article outlines some of the history and previous uses of the Eamon’s building, including the filming of a music video by Canadian rocker Corey Hart.

The City has protected the building for potential redevelopment and prepped the site at the Park and Ride lot at the Tuscany LRT Station. However, no one has come forward with a privately funded plan to make the move a reality.

A decision will have to be made soon on the future of the building. City Council has suggested we find a private partner/investor to redevelop the building. The City has many competing priorities, and funding the restoration of the Eamon’s Building with public funds is unlikely.

If Calgarians want this historic building to survive and be back on the site, someone needs to come forward now to invest.

For more information, or to contact The City about the Eamon’s Building, you can get more details here.

New banners brighten downtown bridges

The next time you’re in Calgary’s Centre City, look up. Seven of the downtown bridges and Olympic Plaza have recently been outfitted with colourful new banners by local artist Karen Klassen.

The banners, commissioned through The City of Calgary’s Centre City Banner Program, and in partnership with Public Art, highlight moments of discovery as told through six of Grimm’s fairy tales.

“In each of these fairy tales there is an epic moment of discovery for the characters that changes the course of their lives,” Klassen says. “I see the bridges that span our rivers as opportunities for discovery within the neighbourhoods they lead us to.”

Klassen’s fascination with the fairy tales began at an early age. For this project, she chose to focus on six specific tales: Ashputtel, Briar Rose, Iron Hans, The Golden Bird, Snowdrop and Jorinde and Joringel.

“The richness, texture and detail included on the banners can be viewed and appreciated from a variety of scales, whether a person is walking, cycling or driving into downtown,” says Graham Gerylo, Project Manager, Centre City Implementation.

Since the Centre City Banner Program began in 2008, a dozen local artists have been commissioned to provide artwork specifically for use on the Olympic Plaza pergola and key gateway bridges leading into the greater downtown area. You can find the banners on the 14 Street, 10 Street, Centre Street, Langevin (Edmonton Trail), Zoo, Inglewood (9 Avenue) and MacDonald bridges.

Visit calgary.ca/centrecity for more information and to view past and present artwork. More of Klassen’s work can be seen at karenklassen.com.


About Calgary’s Centre City

Calgary’s Centre City is the economic, cultural and social hub of our city, home to more than 6,000 businesses, 39,000 Calgarians, 25 public parks and hundreds of events and festivals. In 2007, City Council approved The Centre City Plan, a comprehensive and strategic long-term vision for the future of this area. Calgary’s Centre City includes the Downtown Core, Downtown West, Eau Claire, Chinatown East Village, Beltline and Stampede Park.

Interested in doing a job that counts? The City is recruiting annual Civic Census takers

Census taker recruitment is now underway with The City’s annual Civic Census beginning in April. We're looking for nearly 1,000 flexible workers to help with door-to-door census data collection and recording.


"Census workers are essential to the collection process," says Leader of Election and Census, Paul Denys. "We need people interested and available for flexible short-term work beginning in May."

Being able to walk in seasonable weather conditions and to easily operate a tablet computer are considered assets to become a census taker. Work schedules are set by each individual, but some work may be required during evenings and weekend when most people are at home.

Census takers will be assigned an area to collect census information, generally between 400 to 600 dwellings, and should take no longer than three weeks to complete.

If you're interested in becoming a census taker, download an application online today. Applications are accepted in-person at The City of Calgary Election and Information Services’ office at 1103 55 Ave NE, between 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. Applicants will also be required to complete a written skills assessment test (approx. 30 minutes to complete).

Find more information about the Civic Census and how to become a census taker at Calgary.ca/census

Efficient planning speeds up West Village development

Written by Joachim Mueller

The timing couldn't be better for West Village Towers, a large development that City Council approved last October. The project will add 584 much-needed residential units, up to two storeys of commercial uses, and likely an urban supermarket to the west end of Calgary’s Downtown. As an urban planner, I’m pleased to see how well this development aligns with our vision of a vibrant Centre City, and I’m excited about how efficiently we processed the applications for it – in half the time it would normally take!

West Village rendering - Photo by Wexford Developments

We were able to work faster because the West Village Towers project was processed as a concurrent application, meaning that City staff processed the rezoning and development permit at the same time. Typically, a developer has to go through the entire rezoning process before coming back to apply for a development permit. Allowing a developer to do these two things at the same time is a way we can work more efficiently and get better outcomes for all parties involved.

Concurrent applications were an idea that came out of Transforming Planning, and it is now being tested as we work to make that vision a reality. It reduces the time and expense required for developers trying to get a proposed development approved and it allows staff to evaluate it more holistically. This reduces the amount of red tape and allows needed housing to be built more quickly, without reducing the amount of input the public gets onto future development.

Typically, a rezoning can take up to six months to be approved, with the development permit taking another six months after that. We were able to complete both of these approvals with the West Village Towers in just over six months. But, taking less time is not the only thing concurrent applications accomplish. Holding these two processes together makes it easier to work collaboratively with developers and communities on a proposed development, because all aspects of it are being discussed at the same time.

Joachim Mueller, Senior Planner

Concurrent applications are just one way that we are working to improve Calgary’s planning system, but there is a lot of other work underway to make the changes that were recommended from the year-long Transforming Planning project. For information on what all is happening, please look on our website at www.calgary.ca/NewPlanningSystem.

Joachim Mueller is a Senior Planner with The City’s Planning, Development & Assessment department.

Snow Angels program recognizes the angels among us

The Snow Angels program recognizes Calgarians who volunteer their time and energy to help neighbours with mobility challenges or busy schedules to clear the snow from their walkways.

Not only are Snow Angels helping their neighbours shovel snow; they're also helping to prevent passers by from slipping and falling in winter conditions.



Earn your wings by clearing snow and ice from your neighbours sidewalk. We also encourage Calgarians to nominate their Snow Angel to ensure they are recognized for their great contribution to our city.

Snow Angels earn their wings

Chris Thomson-Hunter, Snow Angels program

coordinator, and Tom Daumler, Snow Angel

The City's Snow Angels program recognizes Calgarians that help neighbours shovel their walkways, allowing everyone to move safely around the community during the winter.

“Snow Angels are just regular citizens who want to help out older adults and people with mobility or health issues by keeping their sidewalks clear,” says Chris Thomson-Hunter, program coordinator. “Helping out, and recognizing those who have helped, is what this campaign is all about.”

The Streets Bylaw requires sidewalks adjacent to properties be cleared of snow and ice down to pavement within 24 hours after a snowfall stops. This work can be very challenging – even dangerous – for older adults and others with limited mobility.

“Taking a few extra minutes after a snowfall to help a neighbour isn’t too taxing for many of us,” says Thomson-Hunter, “but it means so much to those with physical limitations and others who need to access those walks. Snow Angels directly contribute to the well-being and safety of others and to strong, caring communities – communities people want to live in and be proud of.”



Last winter, Calgarians showed their caring spirit in record numbers in response to snow falls. Over the 2013/14 winter season, there was a 137 per cent increase in people calling The City to have their Snow Angel officially recognized (up 721 nominations from 526 nominations the previous year).

If someone has cleared your sidewalk, you can contact The City to have them officially recognized as a Snow Angel. You can nominate your Snow Angel online, by calling 311, or mailing your nomination to: Snow Angels - #184, P.O. Box 2100, St M, Calgary, AB T2P 2M5. All nominated Snow Angels are officially recognized by Mayor Nenshi and entered into a prize draw.

The Snow Angels campaign has recognized 7,650 Snow Angels since its inception in 2004.

For more information visit Calgary.ca/snowangels

All three pedestrian bridges are now open

All three pedestrian bridges along the Elbow River destroyed in the June 2013 flood are now open for use.

Councillors Evan Woolley & Gian-Carlo Carra with Grade 4 students
from Rideau Park School at Rideau Park Bridge re-opening

Just 18 months after the flood, Mayor Naheed Nenshi was joined by hundreds of residents to cut the ribbon and officially open the Sandy Beach Bridge November 23. Councillors Evan Woolley and Gian-Carlo Carra cut the ribbon at the Rideau Park Bridge with a Grade 4 class from Rideau Park School on hand November 28 and the Riverdale Avenue Bridge opened at noon the same day.

“When we met with the communities after the flood to talk about replacing these bridges, they told us that these bridges were a vital link in their communities and that they really missed them,” says Project Manager Charmaine Buhler. “We are very proud to have restored these vital community links and we hope everyone enjoys using them again.”

Residents and commuters will be able to use the bridges for a very long time, adds Buhler.

“In addition to being designed to withstand future flooding, they are also built to last for 100 years," she explains.

Sandy Beach Bridge re-opening

Landscaping will be completed in the spring at all three bridges. Permanent panels commemorating the old bridges will also be completed in the spring and will be installed where temporary panels are currently located at the bridge entrances.

To view time lapse sequences of the major components of the re-building process, such as the installation of the towers, suspension cables, and bridge decks, and for other project information, please visit www.calgary.ca/elbowbridges.

The completion of the bridges marks an important milestone in The City's ongoing flood recovery efforts. There are 223 projects on the Municipal Infrastructure Recovery Program list. Of those projects, 99 are reported to be either complete or substantially complete (44 per cent). Another 83 projects (37 per cent) have design work underway or are under construction. A total of 38 projects (17 per cent) are in early planning stages and only three projects (two per cent) have not yet started. These either require further investigation or are scheduled for a later start date.

For a complete list of projects and an interactive map of project locations and status, please visit www.calgary.ca/floodrecovery.