Hundreds of northeast residents packed city hall Monday in an effort to convince city council to keep a green space.

However, after hours of debate, city council voted to approve rezoning the four point six acres of land from recreational to residential use.

This was just the first reading of this proposed change and the issue must face second and third reading before the rezoning becomes official.

Three years ago, the city sold the plot of land to Attainable Homes Calgary so it could build 500 low income townhouses and apartments.

The residents from Taradale, Martindale and Saddle Ridge aren’t against the affordable housing project they say they weren’t properly consulted on the plan.

During a rally outside city hall residents reiterated this isn’t the right spot for the development.  

“Why is it only Martindale Northeast? It's because it's an all-immigrants area. It's already the most densely populated area in the whole city,” says protester Damanmeet Singh.

However, Ward 5 Councillor Ray Jones disputes that.

“I didn't hear from these people till last Wednesday so if they're saying the first they heard was last December, they should have been calling me in January,” says Jones.

Protesters say the community of Taradale is already too congested to serve additional housing and the communities have already given up several green spaces for public projects.

They say the hub of their community, the Genesis Centre, wouldn’t have room to expand which is something the facility would like to do.

 “We don't want to compete with affordable housing but unfortunately we are constrained and that's the land we'd be looking at to expand,” says Greg Anderson the executive director of The Genesis Centre.

Before the issue comes back to the council table, councillors have directed city staff to go back and do more consultation with the community about their concerns.

Specifically, council would like to learn more about the lack of parking that exists at The Genesis Centre because the green space is sometimes used for overflow parking for a few cultural events that are hosted by the facility.

Second and third readings on the rezoning of this piece of property are not expected to take place until September.

(With files from Lea Williams-Doherty)