August 2024 newsletter
Hello, Ward 1!
Welcome, August!
I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer season. It's a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends, whether it's a visit to the lake, a hike in the mountains, or simply relaxing in the backyard. I have enjoyed my time with my family, but I have also loved going out to the events in Ward 1 to see all of you!
As summer starts to wind down, many families are making the most of the remaining weeks before the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school season. With the continuing warm weather and the approaching school schedules, it's important to drive with extra caution and be mindful of speed.
Best regards,
Sonya Sharp
News from City Council
Reminder: Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions returning
Starting August 26, 2024, Calgary will reinstate Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions due to newly discovered weaknesses in the major water main that ruptured on June 5, 2024. These restrictions will temporarily ban all outdoor water use. In addition, Calgarians are encouraged to follow voluntary indoor water conservation guidelines.
Upcoming construction on 33 Ave NW
In response to the identified weaknesses in the water main, major construction work is scheduled to begin on 33 Ave NW starting August 28, 2024. This work is essential to restore the water main and is expected to continue through the end of September.
More details coming soon
We will be sharing further details about the construction impacts on businesses and residents in a special announcement on Thursday, August 15, 2024. Keep an eye on your inbox for that important update.
For more detailed information, including water conservation tips and updates on the restrictions, please visit Understanding outdoor water restrictions (calgary.ca).
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33rd Ave construction updates newsletter
Sign up for updates on specific repair locations, road closures, and further impacts for residents and businesses.
Green Line - Building the Core
On July 30, 2024, Council heard from the Green Line board, project team, and City Administration about a revised plan called Building the Core. Unfortunately, the revised plan included a shortened line for a higher cost than the previously approved alignment. Despite this, the plan was passed with a 10-5 vote, with Councillors Sharp, McLean, Wyness, Chu and Chabot voting against it.
Councillor Sharp is a strong supporter of transit and the Green Line, but is disappointed in the current direction of this project.
Councillor Sharp voted against the new Green Line LRT alignment because she felt it did not serve the needs of Calgarians, especially those in the south and is also risking Calgary’s financial capacity for a lesser project. If you would like to read more about Councillor Sharp's thoughts, click here.
Event Centre groundbreaking
On Monday, July 22, The City of Calgary and Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) revealed the design for Calgary’s new event centre - named Scotia Place. As part of this milestone, the project team also hosted a groundbreaking, which kicks off construction of Scotia Place and the block’s other facilities, including the community rink, parkade, and plazas.
Councillor Sharp was so happy to see the Event Centre finally come to fruition. As Chair of the Event Centre Committee, she witnessed and appreciates the immense effort that went into creating this community hub. And as a lifelong Calgarian, Councillor Sharp remains confident as ever that this is a good project for Calgary that will benefit our city for decades and decades to come.
She knows that every Calgarian will benefit from the art, sports, and entertainment, the revitalization of the district, the public gathering spaces, the community rink, and the transportation infrastructure that this project offers. The job creation that this building, and the surrounding area will create, is more than welcome. Service industry, construction, music, sport, and hospitality jobs will see so much opportunity in this area.
Construction has already begun with an anticipated opening fall of 2027. Additional information including design renderings, a video, and frequently asked questions is available on Calgary.ca/ScotiaPlace.
Community updates
Councillor Sharp's voting record on key issues
If you're interested in Councillor Sharp's voting history and where she stands on key issues such as budget and taxes, public safety, urban planning, infrastructure projects, and other topics of interest, take a closer look at her recent voting record. It provides valuable insight into her positions on important matters that impact our community.
Bowness Greenspace and Playgrounds engagement
The Parks and Playground Amenities Program (PAPA) has announced an exciting upcoming project in Bowness. They will be working to revitalize and improve 6 park spaces in our community. The program aims to gather input from community members about how they would like to see their community parks improved, and what new amenities would make these spaces more suitable to their needs. This engagement campaign is being promoted in collaboration with the Bowness Community Association. Community members can participate in the process at engage.calgary.ca/parkspace.
Transit changes in Ward 1
Beginning September 2, 2024, Calgary Transit is set to implement several changes to better serve the Ward 1 communities of Tuscany, Silver Springs, and Rockland Park. Here are the key updates:
Route 134 – Rockland Park and Route 120 – Silver Springs
- The existing route will be renamed 134 – Rockland Park and realigned from Crowfoot Station to Rockland Park via Nose Hill Drive NW.
- There will also be a minor change of routing in southeast Silver Springs, with 54 Avenue NW served by Route 120 – Silver Springs (renamed from South Silver Springs).
- The extension to Rockland Park aims to introduce service to the new community and to ensure stable transit service to south Silver Springs.
New Route 26 – Sarcee Trail Crosstown
- Connects Tuscany Station to Westbrook Station via Tuscany, Bowness, Sarcee Trail SW, and Bow Trail SW.
- Replaces some dedicated school trips from Tuscany to Bowness High School.
- Weekday headways will be about every 30 minutes from 6:00 am until 10:30 pm, and weekend service will be every 45 minutes from 6:00 am until 8:30 pm.
Route 74 Tuscany and Route 174 Tuscany
- These routes will be converted to community shuttle buses during peak hours, subject to future changes in vehicle size if ridership changes.
- Service on Route 174 will end at 7:30 pm as the combination of Route 26 and Route 74 will provide sufficient service in the evening.
These changes intend to improve transit service in Ward 1 and provide better connectivity for residents! For more information, visit calgarytransit.com.
Transit on demand launch for Spy Hill
On-Demand Transit is a new service that allows Calgarians to book their travel as needed. This service can be accessed through a mobile app or by calling the designated call center. Customers will be picked up and dropped off at predetermined locations within the specific service zone. On-Demand Transit is typically used in cases where an area cannot support fixed route service.
The purpose of this service is to provide a connection between the U of C Spy Hill campus and the broader transit network. The connections provided include the U of C Spy Hill Campus (Clinical Skills Building), Royal Oak Park Commercial Center (Walmart, Sobeys), and Tuscany LRT Station. This initiative will be operated as a pilot project to gauge the demand for a transit connection to the U of C Spy Hill campus and will launch at the end of August.
For more details, visit calgarytransit.com.
Community clean-up reminder
As a reminder, several community associations in Ward 1 are hosting Community Cleanup event this year. These events are a free service provided by the City of Calgary to help residents dispose of items that do not fit in their waste carts or for those who do not have access to cart service.
Cleanup events occur on Saturdays and Sundays throughout Calgary. The Spring season starts on the last weekend of April and ends on June 29th, while the Fall session starts on September 7th and ends on September 28th.
The following communities in our ward have been selected for a Community Cleanup event:
- Rocky Ridge and Royal Oak CA on August 18
- Scenic Acres CA on August 31
- Tuscany RA on September 8
- Crestmont CA on September 28
Please note that some Community Cleanup events will also be available over the summer with limited availability.
For the full schedule, please visit calgary.ca/cleanups.
Updates to City Services
Business and Local Economy newsletter
Have you heard about Business Beat, a new newsletter developed by the Business & Local Economy team to share stories about what The City is doing to help our business community grow and thrive? The inaugural edition, featuring content from various City departments, is now available. Moving forward, the newsletter will be delivered quarterly to ensure that it doesn't add too much to your inbox.
If you're interested in staying updated on how The City is supporting our local economy, sign up now to start receiving great insights and inspiring stories about Calgary's thriving business community!
Housing Capital Initiative announcement
On July 18, 2024, the Housing Capital Initiative was launched. The initiative is a $60 million investment intended to leverage capital funding from other levels of government to support City partners in building new non-market housing. The initiative aims to attract or leverage at least $140 million in capital funding from non-City sources.
Eligible applicants for the initiative include registered charities, societies, non-profits, wholly-owned subsidiaries of The City of Calgary, and Indigenous housing providers with demonstrated capacity and experience in developing and managing non-market housing.
The initiative has coordinated with other levels of government to ensure program alignment and the ability to stack with other government programs. Eligible project types include new construction, acquisition for the preservation of existing residential buildings, conversion of non-residential buildings to residential, and the addition of new residential units to existing buildings or properties.
A maximum of 30% of a project’s total capital costs are eligible for support through City funding programs, meaning 70% of a project’s total costs are expected to come from other levels of government or sources of funding.
You can learn more at calgary.ca/hci.
Boards, Commissions and Committees (“BCCs”) recruitment
Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCCs) play a crucial role in providing perspective and recommendations on significant civic issues to City Council. They serve as a bridge between Calgarians and The City, working together to strengthen the community. This is an enriching opportunity for Calgarians and Indigenous individuals in the Treaty 7 region to actively participate in the municipal decision-making process and provide guidance to City Council. While most positions are voluntary, some offer an honorarium.
Membership requirements vary for each BCC. At a minimum, individuals must be 18 years of age, be residents of Calgary, or be Indigenous persons residing outside of Calgary but within the Treaty 7 region. Ideal candidates are those who have the following qualities:
- A desire to contribute to the community
- Relevant expertise for the specific BCC
- A commitment to raising awareness of issues affecting under-represented groups
- Availability to fulfill membership duties
The deadline for applications is Monday, September 9, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
For more details on membership requirements, mandates, and a complete list of BCCs, please visit calgary.ca/boards and navigate to the "Boards" tab."
Categories: General, Newsletter