Safety concerns cited in petition against proposed Marda Loop development
Safety concerns cited in petition against proposed Marda Loop development
Community members in the southwest business district of Marda Loop are raising several safety and infrastructure concerns over a proposed development plan to construct a six-storey building with 120 new residential units.
Sarina Homes has plans to build the site along 33rd Avenue S.W., which would see seven properties rezoned starting on the corner of 19th Street S.W.
The new build would allow for ground-floor commercial space with supplementary residential units but that isn’t sitting well with those living nearby.
"The size and scope of this building is massive and (it) seems to be there's a definite lack of infrastructure within the community to support this redevelopment at this scale," said Kerry Parker Smith with Save Our Marda Loop
"If anyone's driven down 33rd Avenue at any of the peak hours during the day, it can be gridlock. We're noticing our bus stops have delivery vehicles in them at all hours, cars are stopping in the middle of the road, blocking traffic, so there's gridlock and we have big concerns already about pedestrian safety."
Some of the group's biggest concerns with this proposed build include poor roadway and sidewalk conditions to support the project, a lack of public transit or green spaces and aging utilities in the area.
Natalie Crump, who lives nearby, says one of her biggest concerns is parking.
She notes that an extra 120 residential units will almost certainly create further congestion, which will impact accessibility to the area.
"I can tell you that 33rd Avenue is already a parkade every morning and afternoon, so it's not suitable for that many residents with all their vehicles," she said.
"The overcrowding in this high-density area will definitely impact us, for sure."
Nearby resident Lai Louie says the proposed building would also be 23 metres high, which would cast a large shadow onto his home.
He says this project would decrease accessibility to his backyard and garage with vehicles coming from and going to the proposed building's parkade through the alleyway.
"When I purchased my house here, I specifically looked at the zonings for the houses but now this area has had a lot of infilling and if you count the number of dwellings, it's actually almost doubled on this street," he said.
"These are all single detached or semi-detached homes in this neighbourhood, so to put a six-storey building adjacent to these properties takes away all the sun."
SARINA HOMES RESPONDS TO RESIDENT CONCERNS
Nazim Virani, president of Sarina Homes, notes that several engagement sessions have taken place between his development team and residents over the past few months.
He says concerns from residents are being taken seriously and some adjustments are being made with respect to the height of the building.
The originally proposed height was 26 metres, but Virani says that has now decreased to 23 metres.
"We've also set back considerably on the east side as well as some of the upper floors of the building to reduce shadowing as well as to enhance the contextual kind of height of the building along the main street," said Virani.
In response to concerns that the building is too tall, Virani notes that his development team has been working with the city to follow its policies.
"The City of Calgary has a policy for main streets that they're working through – it's in draft form – whereas on the main streets, there's an opportunity to build smart, thoughtful density along these neighbourhood corridors from heights of four to six storeys."
Virani says it's his team's goal to go through all feedback from residents.
"These issues and these pains of growth are real and they're complex and it takes different stakeholders to kind of come together to see it through," Virani added.
"That includes with density bringing investment in from the city as well as other stakeholders and different levels of governments, and so it's a complex process that takes time and it's definitely a transition period as we continue to grow the main street."
CITY REVIEWING APPLICATION FOR LAND-USE CHANGE
The City of Calgary says an application has been submitted to them by Sarina Homes asking for a land-use change at the corner of 33rd Avenue and 19th Street S.W.
Ashley Parks, planning co-ordinator with the city, says the review process is just about complete, but a few more steps are needed.
"It (the land-use application) still needs to go to Calgary Planning Commission, followed by a public hearing of council for discussion and potential approval," she said.
"It's important to clarify that this application falls within the South Calgary/Altadore Area Redevelopment Plan and is only requesting a change to the land-use district. Any reviews for a specific building or property design would come later in the planning process, when a development permit is submitted."
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, in a leaked cellphone call, commiserated with a COVID-19 protester about his trial while divulging to him there was an internal dispute over how Crown prosecutors were handling COVID-19 cases.
The Canada Revenue Agency will pilot a new automatic system next year to help vulnerable Canadians who don't file their taxes get their benefits. This week's federal budget says the Canada Revenue Agency will also present a plan in 2024 to expand the service, following consultations with stakeholders and community organizations.
A 15-year-old girl shot to death in the community of Martindale early Tuesday morning, has now been identified by friends and police as Sarah Alexis Jorquera.
Months after Canada's ban on foreign homebuyers took effect on Jan. 1, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has made several amendments to the legislation allowing non-Canadians to purchase residential properties in certain circumstances.
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
Silicon Valley Bank's collapse earlier this month dealt a major blow to the wine and crypto firms that entrusted their money with and depended on the lender to stay afloat.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Alberta's energy regulator has defended its finding that the province's largest recorded earthquake was caused by oilpatch activity, saying the pattern of temblors since last fall clearly points to a water disposal well even though there's no suggestion rules were flouted.
Cloudy skies in the Edmonton area this morning. But, after a bit of light snow overnight, it looks like the city and surrounding areas are pretty much done with the precipitation for today.
The Riverview Hospital itself has been closed for more than a decade, but 289 people are currently receiving treatment for mental health, addictions or both at the old site.
The Vatican on Thursday responded to Indigenous demands and formally repudiated the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' the theories backed by 15th-century 'papal bulls' that legitimized the colonial-era seizure of Native lands and form the basis of some property law today.
Vancouver city council has asked staff to shape a policy that would require grant recipients to engage with officials in a "respectful manner," a move that one political scientist says suggests an attempt to prevent or punish criticism.
The eve of the release of the final report from the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s 2020 mass shooting is a reminder for residents of Portapique of their small community’s traumatic past.
After British Columbia singled out a Nova Scotia practitioner for writing thousands of Ozempic prescriptions to Americans through pharmacies in metro Vancouver, officials in Nova Scotia began looking into the matter.
The Canadian Press has learned that Ontario has granted a three-month funding extension for doctors to provide care through virtual emergency departments.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
A young man found wounded late Wednesday night in the parking lot of a shopping centre in northeast Montreal is believed to be the victim of an earlier shooting in the same area. Montreal police (SPVM) reported Thursday morning that the 18-year-old man's life was no longer in danger.
A new regulation that comes into effect Thursday in Quebec prohibits the feeding of white-tailed deer outside of hunting season, from Dec. 1 to Aug. 31, except on l'ile d'Anticosti.
Parents had their say at a Vimy Ridge Public School town hall as the Ottawa-Carleton District School board addressed concerns around harassment and bullying.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
A Saskatoon murder trial is being adjourned to allow police to follow-up on "significant information" that just came to the Crown prosecutor's attention Wednesday.
CTV News has learned a dog that attacked a five-year-old boy last week had been declared dangerous in February 2022, but the city had lost track of the owner a year ago.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
A Manitoba family has launched a lawsuit alleging their 23-year-old son had a stroke days after receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving him legally blind.
A bylaw officer in Manitoba is facing fraud charges for allegedly keeping the surrender fees when people gave up their pets, according to the Brandon Police Service.
A Winnipeg judge is set to make a court ruling on Thursday in the trial of a retired priest accused of assaulting a woman while she was a student at a residential school more than 50 years ago
To help offset rising living expenses, the Government of Canada has introduced a one-time grocery rebate for low- and modest-income Canadians. Here is what we know about the rebate.
