Cliff Bungalow residents worried proposed development will undercut neighbourhood's history
Residents in Cliff Bungalow are convinced a new development proposal will zap some of the charm out of their historic neighbourhood.
The offered change will enable a new five-storey, multi-residential building with 71 new units at 537 20 Avenue S.W.
But it’ll come at the expense of four current structures, including a building and two homes that have been up for decades and split into apartments.
Heather Saitz moved out of one of the units when it was sold a few months back.
She’s worried about the new vision.
“It was one of the most beautiful apartments I’ve had in my entire life,” she told CTV News. “These buildings should have a different fate.”
Saitz and others have launched a petition and canvassed the area with fliers to gain support for their opposition.
The crux of their argument is a worry the build will change the landscape of Cliff Bungalow.
One resident says she believes tearing down historic housing to make way for multi-story apartment buildings is bad for the city.
She argues those older homes house Calgarians still paying relatively manageable rents, who won’t be able to afford large-scale builds.
“I’m actually a huge advocate for density,” Ahn Mur said. “But I also think there’s a reason why people react so much to increasing density, and it’s because we lose things like community, character and affordable housing. And so this is a good example of a hot topic for people in the area.”
The group’s members are even suggesting a compromise.
“There are lots of precedents from around the world about building new developments that pay homage to the existing community character in some way,” Mur said.
Heritage Calgary is on board.
“I really want to see from the developer, can they incorporate elements of those houses into the property,” Josh Traptow said. “It could be brick, it could be windows or a door. It will just take some creativity from the architect.”
CTV News reached out to the developer to learn more about its plans, but as of publishing hasn’t heard back.
The project is still listed as a proposed land use change, which means it doesn’t yet have a timeline.
The city is collecting feedback on the proposal and will be until Thursday evening.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.