West Village Concept Plan

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Like the East Village, once it is actually developed it will undergo a more detailed master plan process. The existing plan will likely merely set the framework.

I'd expect that it will be years before this development gets going. And really, what's the rush. The East Village has two decades of build out, not to mention the Beltine and the rest of downtown before West Village really needs to get going. No need to canibalize the downtown residential market.

It would be nice if they got moving on West Village sooner rather than later. It's a more desirable piece of property than East Village. If they made excellent use of the riverbank/grounds for a park, that could draw even more people downtown. It would be a really great enhancement to our downtown and the benefits would spill over to Beltline/Sunalta as well.

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

How is the East Village less desirable than the West Village proposal?

s.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi,

How is the East Village less desirable than the West Village proposal?

s.

There is something like 1,300+ spaces that have been created for homeless shelters within the East Village district, so the ability of that community to establish itself is much more difficult.

The community also struggled with bad connectivity as well that prevented traffic circulation along Riverfront Ave, a large number of one way streets, lack of 4th street underpass, and pedestrian connectivity to offsetting communities.

The connectivity and mobility issues can be fixed with transportation infrastructure. Reducing crime, in particular drug abuse and alcoholism that is a major reason why people are in poverty and use the homeless shelters is a much harder problem to tackle.

[Aegis]

Originally Posted by Radley77

There is something like 1,300+ spaces that have been created for homeless shelters within the East Village district, so the ability of that community to establish itself is much more difficult.

The community also struggled with bad connectivity as well that prevented traffic circulation along Riverfront Ave, a large number of one way streets, lack of 4th street underpass, and pedestrian connectivity to offsetting communities.

The connectivity and mobility issues can be fixed with transportation infrastructure. Reducing crime, in particular drug abuse and alcoholism that is a major reason why people are in poverty and use the homeless shelters is a much harder problem to tackle.

Exactly. East Village is going to be 100% better with the new infrastructure and river walk improvements, but there are too many social service agencies in such a small area to make it the #1 choice for condo buyers, especially at premium prices. I'm not saying the social service agencies don't do good work, but it is what it is.

The West Village lands are wide open, connect well with the Edworthy path system, will have good c-train access, walking distance to some of Calgary's other great urban corridors. I would LOVE, one day, to be on top of the hills of Spruce Cliff and see the area between Greyhound and Crowchild developed with a mix of residential, office, and park..its a fabulous opportunity. It would really "complete" one of the last voids of wasted land surrounding downtown.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I'm not saying the social service agencies don't do good work, but it is what it is.

One of the under-appreciated benefits of the EV will be the step it is helping the City take toward accepting mixed-communities. One of the best aspects of London is how it is such a pepper-pot and you can have the wealthy living right next to and even above or below social housing. Hopefully the EV will show that this cohabitation can successfully take place here as well.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by Riise

One of the under-appreciated benefits of the EV will be the step it is helping the City take toward accepting mixed-communities. One of the best aspects of London is how it is such a pepper-pot and you can have the wealthy living right next to and even above or below social housing. Hopefully the EV will show that this cohabitation can successfully take place here as well.

I think a lot of the communities in inner city Calgary are already mixed (Mission, Kensington, Bridgeland) etc. and have elements of this (low rent condo beside a higher priced single family home or high rent condo beside a single family home that is needing repair) and have pretty much everything from university students, to working poor, to wealthy tycoons.

I think at least in the inner city, that Calgary is fairly accepting of different income segments within a community.

The issue is that many of the people in the homeless emergency shelters are alchoholics, or have drug addictions and then because of the concentration of that, attract a confluence of drug dealers, and that leads to higher crime as those who are dependent on drugs use whatever means available (car breakins, house breakins) to feed their habits. Simply from a cost benefit perspective, why would someone who has say an $80,000 vehichle want to park near an area where there is a high chance that there window is smashed or keyed?

The Drop-In Centre for example, is Canada's largest homeless shelter, with space for 1,370 people, with the first and second floors serving those who are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

There is also a large difference between social housing and the types of emergency shelters that are present in the East Village.

I think the East Village would have a lot higher chance of success if it were to prohibit users of emergency shelters who are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. It is not easy for a neighbourhood to "cohabitate" when a large portion of a community's population is an addict or is places that are accepting of drug\alcohol addiction. I would like to see the shelters work with the development agency Calgary MLC, and the City of Calgary police, and other social agencies on the basis that the future of the community should aim to reduce crime (and social services costs), which would serve the wellbeing of those who live in the shelters and are also recipients of the results of drug abuse through assaults.

[Trans Canada]

A concept for the West Village including stadium and arena...

Originally Posted by kev_427

Playing around with Google Earth. Yellow is mixed use, orange is hotel, blue is lrt station, grey is parkade, and red is public buildings. The stadium sits where GSL currently sits, arena at Greyhound, and a new Glenbow museum at Renfrew. A new museum would allow the current site to be remodeled as convention space.

Also redesigned Crowchild and Bow for fun.

Just my fantasy. all pics are mine.

[RyLucky]

^Good job! I like the road realignment.