Virtual Town Hall: Q&A

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Virtual Town Hall on May 2nd! Here is a summary of what we discussed and the questions that were asked.

Can we please get an update regarding a future Kincora multi-season rink [located at 1100 Kincora Dr NW]?

This parcel is the site of a future Calgary Board of Education (CBE) middle school. The CBE and the Joint Use Coordinating Committee (JUCC)* need to approve any temporary uses on the site, including a multi-season rink.

The next step for this project is to get it approved by JUCC, and to get a temporary use agreement drafted. The City is working with the CBE to prepare this agreement.
The CA board is also working to raise funding for this project.

*The JUCC makes decisions about school sites. The JUCC includes representatives from The City and each of the three school boards, including the Calgary Board of Education (CBE).

Could The City of Calgary look into installing a few outdoor hockey rink/basketball court combos to have more outdoor activities available year-round? There are “adopt a rinks” and a few community rinks but they are centered more around family skating. There are many baseball diamonds that are never used and could be repurposed.

The development of boarded rinks is not an asset the City of Calgary undertakes.  This process is usually undertaken by the local Community Association or occasionally a community’s developers. The City doesn’t install formal hockey rinks with boards, but we do help facilitate other skating opportunities.

The City is currently reviewing individual baseball diamonds to determine if they’re being used, and whether to renew those permits.

Playgrounds and other assets like basketball courts are are somewhat different, as they are installed by developers but we do partner with community groups to install basketball courts if the site is appropriate and if there is enough community support. Through the “Adopt a Rink” program, Calgary Parks supports communities in providing recreational skating opportunities. We continue to work with community groups to make the best use of space so people can enjoy those activities outside.

With respect to field utilization, Calgary Parks is in the process of reviewing the field allocation process for baseball. Oftentimes, groups blanket book these spaces (which means the field might be in booked and but not being used by the user group) so the field may sit idle but is still under a permit.

We intend to begin a review of baseball diamonds for our Fall 2023 bookings in order to gauge demand for these spaces.

What is being done about the lack of infrastructure in place vs. how quickly houses are being built? For example, [new communities] have no wifi, few roads, and no traffic lights.

We’ve been working with Administration and Planning to determine if their current process is as effective as it could be. As it stands, some amenities and utilities, like wifi, for instance, need to be installed later in the planning and construction process in new communities because they rely on functional infrastructure that needs to be installed first (electricity, for example).

It is true that this can cause issues in new communities. For instance, there have been cases when firefighters are unable to find houses due to lack of road signs. This is a problem we have identified and we are currently working to address across the city.

Can we please get an update on plans for 144 Ave. in Evanston?

The Evanston bridge was fully funded in our last budget adjustment, and we are continuing to work on it. It is definitely a priority as it will eventually feature a planned bus route for the community.

Why are none of our paths cleared in our neighbourhood in Evanston?

Calgary features a massive path system that stretches a total of 1,000 km. Clearing the path system can be challenging, so we prioritize the areas that get the most use and could pose a hazard if they are not cleared. For example, some paths in Evanston Valley can be steep and icy in the winter, so that is something we consider when prioritizing which paths to clear first.

We have a running list of pathways that people have asked about, and as more resources and funding becomes available, we make those paths a priority. This coming winter we will be clearing 200km more pathways than ever before.

When will construction begin for the Nolan Hill school?

Our next step is engaging with the community association, so stay tuned for that.

Is there a page where I can see the tangible actions Mayor Gondek has done for Calgary?

The City doesn’t currently have a webpage set up like that, but I encourage you to reach out to the Mayor’s office for more information here:
https://www.calgary.ca/council/mayor/write-mayor.html.

You can also find more information here: https://www.calgary.ca/council/mayor.html

Trees and new plants seem to be dying at a high rate in our community. What is the city doing to help mitigate this problem?

The City plants new plants on a regular basis, and we identify different locations for planting based on their climate, access to water, weather, etc. In some cases, developers for new communities are responsible for caring for new plants for the first 3-5 years after they are planted.

Calgary can be a tough environment for trees, as it is often too dry or windy further north. Every year, The City plants around 3,000 new plants each year, and it is often the case that they need to be replaced because they are damaged or fail to thrive. However, to mitigate this, we continue to monitor and plant across the city regularly.

Symons Valley is scheduled late for street sweeping for the second year in a row. What is the rationale behind this, and can the city do anything to rotate schedules year to year? Can the HOA/RAs that are enrolled in the ELM program have the option of an earlier street cleaning schedule? 

It is true that unfortunately Symons Valley is scheduled late this year. Historically, The City has rotated the sweeping schedule every year, but last year, we had two unexpected weeks of snow, which disrupted the schedule by pushing some of the earlier communities to the end of the schedule. This year we rotated the cleaning schedule again, which mean that unfortunately those communities that were supposed to be early last year ended up late in the schedule for the second year in a row.

The City is working on a plan to fix this so that this doesn’t happen again. This new schedule will feature four rotating quadrants across Calgary so that no community is always first or last, and as a result will rotate the order more equitably around all communities. This means that although communities enrolled in the ELM program won't have the option of getting their streets sweeped earlier, neighbourhoods across the city will be on an equitable and consistent schedule.

What will be done about the off-leash dog problems we are increasingly having here in our non-off leash parks?

The vast majority of pet owners are responsible and follow off-leash guidelines, but it is a reality that there are a few who cause issues for everyone who wish to enjoy those public spaces. The City uses ambassadors to educate people and uses clear signage to make expectations clear, and issues tickets to offenders as needed. There are around 120,000 dogs in Calgary, and we’re working hard to communicate those best practices to everyone.

If you have a specific site or incident in mind, please contact our Ward 2 office so we can look into the issue.