Crowchild Trail Study: Project library
Early in the study process, we heard from participants that maintaining a Project library would be helpful for sharing information as the study progressed.
Click on the headings below to see a summary of the engagement process and key themes we heard from participants in each phase of the study. Detailed What We Heard Reports with verbatim comments are available through The City’s Research and Engagement Library.
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 1: Engage process design
Designing an engagement program with citizens’ input
Description: Over the course of three workshops, an 18-member citizen Engagement Design Team reviewed different engagement tools and discussed when different tools should be used in the six study phases. Learn more about the Engagement Design Team.
Engagement goal: Establish a citizen Engagement Design Team to answer the question “How do we have the most effective conversation possible about the Crowchild Trail Corridor Study?”
Outcome: A recommended engagement program for Phases 2 to 6 that was fully endorsed by the Engagement Design Team.
Material presented in Phase 1: Engagement Process Design
- Workshop #1: Presentation and Workshop Activity
- Online Questionnaire Summary
- Workshop #2: Presentation and Workshop Activity
- Workshop #3: Presentation and Workshop Activity
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 2: Confirm project goals
Project goals developed with citizens’ input
Description: Phase 2 of the study gathered input from participants in workshops and online to develop, refine and finalize project goals. Participants were asked to provide their feedback under three key principles:
- Maintain and enhance bordering communities.
- Improve travel along the corridor.
- Improve mobility across the corridor.
Engagement goal: Work with community to develop goals and measures that will define success for the Crowchild Trail Corridor Study. A summary of the Phase 2 engagement process and key themes we heard is available here.
Engagement opportunities were provided in three parts:
- Part 1: Gather ideas and develop draft goals (June to July) – the team developed 11 project goals based on input at 23 engagement events in June, and thousands of ideas submitted online, at community events, and on community idea boards in and around the study area until mid-July.
- Part 2: Refine goals (August) – the team shared the 11 project goals and refined them based on input gathered online. More than 650 people provided their feedback online from Aug. 5 to Sept. 4, 2015.
- Part 3: Confirm goals (September and October) – the team finalized the 11 project goals based on input gathered at two drop-in sessions in September, and online until Oct. 4, 2015.
Outcome: A set of project goals that will help guide the development and evaluation design concepts as the study progresses.
Material presented in Phase 2: Confirm project goals
- Display boards at drop-in sessions
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 3: Concept identification
Preliminary design concepts developed by citizens’ ideas
Description: Phase 3 of the study invited Calgarians to share their ideas on possible changes to the Crowchild Trail corridor, and to explore the benefits, constraints, impacts and trade-offs of the ideas brought forward by participants.
Engagement goal: Work with community to explore ideas and to ask participants to help identify the benefits, impacts, constraints, and trade-offs of the different ideas shared. A summary of the Phase 3 engagement process and what we heard about the different ideas is available here.
Engagement opportunities were provided in two parts:
Part 1: Gather Ideas in October/November 2015
- The team hosted six public workshops where participants worked with technical facilitators to draw their ideas on area maps, and identified the benefits, constraints, impacts and trade-offs of ideas brought to the table. In addition, various drop-in sessions and an online idea forum provided participants the opportunity to post their ideas and explore the benefits, constraints, impacts and tradeoffs of the different ideas posted.
Part 2: See the Ideas on Possible Changes in February/March 2016
- In October and November 2015, Calgarians shared approximately 500 ideas for how to upgrade Crowchild Trail. After technical evaluation and analysis of all the ideas, the project team has consolidated these ideas, and grouped them where possible, down to 25 sets of ideas that can be applied to the corridor. Calgarians had an opportunity to visit one of the several open houses or drop-in events to see how the ideas look when applied to the Crowchild Trail corridor. They also had an opportunity to evaluate the 17 remaining ideas against the three project principles, learn about why some of the ideas did not move forward for further consideration and see which ideas would be explored in Phase 4: Concept Evaluation.
Outcome: Ideas that the project team will use to develop a set of preliminary concepts for evaluation in Phase 4: Concept Evaluation.
Material presented in Phase 3: Concept Identification
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 4: Concept evaluation
Evaluating preliminary concepts with citizens' input.
Description: Phase 4 of the study invited Calgarians to evaluate the preliminary design concepts using the study goals developed in Phase 2.
Engagement goal: Work with participants to evaluate the preliminary design concepts against the study goals developed in Phase 2. A summary of the Phase 4 engagement process and what we heard is available here.
Engagement opportunities were available throughout June and included six public workshops, various drop-in sessions and an online tool.
Outcome: A shortlist of design concepts evaluated against the study goals. The project team will use the evaluation to identify a set of recommendations for Calgarians to provide feedback on in Phase 5: Concept Selection and Recommendation.
Materials presented in Phase 4: Concept Evaluation
- Video: Crowchild Trail Study Update (Phase 4)
- Workshop Handout
- Concept: Bow River Crossing
- Concept: Optimization between 16 Ave. & 24 Ave.
- Concept: 17 Ave. Optimization
- Concept: 16 Ave. & 24 Ave. Interchanges
- Concept: Kensington Rd. Interchange
- Concept: Central Tunnel
- Concept: Rebuild Crowchild Tr. Bridges
- Workshop Display Boards
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 5: Concept selection and recommendation
Identify recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term upgrades.
Description: Phase 5 of the study presents the draft recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term upgrades and gathers feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the recommendations to help finalize them.
Engagement Goal: Work with participants to refine and finalize the draft recommendations. Participants can review the recommendations and provide their feedback at scheduled open houses, drop-in sessions, community sounding boards, and/or through an online tool. A summary of the Phase 5 engagement process and what we heard is available here.
Outcome: Participants understand how the recommendations were identified as a result of the study process and can see how input was used to influence project decisions. Where input was not used, the project team has explained why.
Material presented in Phase 5: Concept Selection and Recommendation
Crowchild Trail Study Phase 6: Reporting and completion
Prepare a report of recommendations to Council for consideration.
Description: Phase 6 of the study presents the final recommendations for short-, medium- and long-term upgrades and gathers feedback on the engagement process.
Engagement Goal: Work with participants to understand how well they can see their input reflected in the final recommendations. Participants can view the final recommendations and provide input on the engagement process at scheduled information sessions or by using the online tool. A summary of the Phase 6 engagement process and what we heard is available here.
Outcome: The input received in this phase will be used to improve future transportation studies. On May 8, 2017, Council approved the study recommendations. Construction of the short-term plan is scheduled from October 2017 to later 2019.