A community walk-about with Rollin Stanley

A community walk-about with Rollin Stanley
What is Bowness?
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A Village in the Valley
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Small town feel; down to earth people
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Bownesians care about their community
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"Bownesians are Eclectic"
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Economically diverse
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Middle Ring Community..... not quite inner city, definately not suburban
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An established neighborhood surrounded by beautiful natural areas
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On the cusp of significant redevelopment (many properties are >50% land
value).....as Montgomery has over past few years
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Close to great facilities....Bowness Park, Foothills, Childrens, University, COP
Who is Bowness?
*Vital Signs, ARP, 2011 Census, Bowness ARP
* http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/CNS/Documents/community_social_statistics/bowness.pdf
Age Distribution
-We need to bring more families into community
and require more infrastructure for aging in
place-
Where is Bowness?
Bowness
Why is Bowness unique?
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Small town origins and atmosphere...mainstreet, shops, people, layout....
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Bow River...1 of only 4 communities that have direct river frontage/access
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Amenities: schools, swimming pool, ice rink, surrounded by natural areas
(but not much park space within community), COP, sport fields,
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Sense of place. Bownesians are deeply connected to their community
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Community is diverse, economically and all ages
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Community Pride: Bowness Parade, Tour de Bowness, Main Street Fair,
Janes Walk, Historical Society, Community Gardens
Challenges for Bowness:
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Derelict rental properties and crime 'hot-spots' that discourage community
development, and devalue adjacent areas
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Mainstreet is under utilized and doesn't provide diversity of services and
shops. Community needs more people to sustain local business'
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Lack of accessible facilities and amenities for aging in place
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Managing impacts of unsustainable amount of social programs & housing
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Community desires more density, but needs a comprehensive plan for
where and how this happens, not one spot rezoning at a time
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While surrounded by great natural areas, Bowness needs more accessible
green space within community
We need a plan that considers cumulative impact of development on traffic
and existing roads
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Bow Centre Mall
Opportunity for Re-invention
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In the heart of Bowness and easy access for all Bownesians....size
and location are not being optimized
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Perfect candidate for higher density zoning and mixed use
redevelopment
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Possible uses:
● Health facility
● Professional Services
● retail
● multi-family
● Seniors facility
Bow Centre Mall
Opportunity for Re-invention
Bow Centre Mall
Opportunity for Re-invention
Small Holdings
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Bowness Modern Developments
SH
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Canadian Legion
City of Calgary
SH
Can.
Legion
Difficult for any individual
parties to redevelop
Suffers from neglect and
image problems
Solutions
● Re-zone to encourage
redevelopment
● Include attractive terms for
City-owned land to
encourage interest
SH
CofC
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City of
Calgary
Challenges to Re-purposing:
● Several landowners -including the City
BMD
BMD
City of
Calgary
BMD
SH
BMD
City of
Calgary
SH
SH
R2 zoning & Redevelopment
Opportunity for Rejuvenation
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R2 zoning & densification, in appropriate places, help rejuvenate the community
and build a population base that can sustain local services
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Infills create more housing types & affordable living options for families
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Developments change the face of a neighborhood, and care must be made to not
lose the original character that attracted the developments
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Consideration required to respectfully integrate new buildings into neighborhood
Zoning in Bowness
Opportunity for Rejuvenation
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Expansion bound by Stoney Tr,
escarpment, and Trans-Canada....
Bowfort Rd is only access
Bowfort Rd already over capacity
due to 'short cuts' thru Bowness,
COP traffic, Trans-Canada lights
83rd Street cannot accommodate
traffic into Bowness (chokepoint)
Proposed Greenbriar development
does not respect ARP
Greenbriar - Parkdale
Attainable Homes
Good Idea, wrong location
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AH has proposed 40-52 units on City owned
land
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Mandate of development is to help families
obtain affordable housing
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Majority of Bowness housing is at
comparable or lower price point than AH
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Large massing would decrease property
value of neighboring homes....the same
demographic AH wishes to help
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Poor Location; lack of transit, not connected
to community amenities,, adjacent to
commercial center and train tracks
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Access; Sunnyside Greenhouse traffic is
extremely congested during garden season
R.B. Bennett School Lands
Opportunity for a one of a kind community hub
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School closed, City exploring rezoning and
development to repay ~$6MM Enmax
Legacy Fund
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Bowness has strong desire to preserve one
of the only green spaces within eastern
Bowness
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City should consider Bowness Community
Fundraising as an option to repay legacy
fund.
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Interest in repurposing site as:
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Community hub
Park
Arts & Culture center
School
Seniors' accomodation
Bow Crescent
Unique Riverfront Homes; a jewel and a challenge
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Unique and vulnerable Riparian zone on private lands | Need to protect and
respect. Community & City joint efforts to educate and enforce
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Need to integrate regulations regarding flood areas into permit approval process
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Need to ensure homeowners understand and honor bylaws and legal restrictions
along riverbanks
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Large lot sizes pose unique challenges that City planning may not have
anticipated...lot coverage, depths, setbacks, etc.
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All permit applications, even contextual, need thorough review for possible
conflicts with ARP or neighbors
Floodway & Floodplains
Extensive Development in precarious environment
Main Street
The Beginnings of Revitalization
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Most business' not open in evening...desire to have more business' catering to evening
activity (like tao of peace, library, etc) to encourage a more pedestrian oriented hub.
(bistro, coffee shop, retail, etc)
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Potential for 2-4 storey commercial & retail shops, multi family, etc...
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Consider rezoning large RC-1 parking lot behind hextall place
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Gas Plus contamination site has negative impact on streetscape. Desire to find a positive
use for site
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Need to provide/preserve parking, calm traffic and clean up several storefronts
Main Street
Revitalization
QE Park - The Triangle
A challenge to the progress of community
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New DP applications for low
quality rental properties
exacerbate problems
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physically isolated by train
tracks and long blocks, from
community
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high ratio of social housing
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A ghetto effect on all of
Bowness
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High rate of personal &
property crime
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Epicenter of many social,
health & safety issues in
Bowness
The Triangle
A challenge to the progress of the
community
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several blocks of large mass, poorly maintained rental housing,
with absentee owners
Zoning in Bowness...
...and Bowness Crime
1
Overcoming the Ghetto stigma
1
1
Assault
1
Weapon Incident
Break-in
Robbery
1
Sexual Assault
Calgary Police Service Crime Data
Sept 1, 2012 - Mar 2013
*Excludes Theft & Property Crime
1
8
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Overcoming Challenges
7 solutions for a better Bowness
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Spearhead rezoning and redevelopment of Bow Centre Mall. Increased retail
and pedestrian presence will spur on redevelopment of 'the Triangle'
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Encourage more context appropriate development and infills to increase our
population and bring more families back into community
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Invite several levels of government to plan improvements to road and traffic
issues, and look at the cumulative impact of developments
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Work with city on joint master plan for development, rather than 1 spot rezoning
at a time
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Fund raise to preserve R.B. Bennett as a 100% community hub + green space
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Initiate joint efforts with the city to protect and respect the Riparian zone
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Rezone mainstreet and master plan a parking solution
Bownesians want:
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A complete community that supports all ages, backgrounds & incomes
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Accessible and vibrant public spaces and mainstreet
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Opportunities to share, socialize, interact, and engage with neighbors
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To improve & preserve green spaces within and around community
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homes and amenities for young families as well as aging in place
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Opportunities for employment within the community
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More cultural and arts facilities
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A greater selection of local retail shops and services
Imagine Bowness
A vibrant, sustainable, community of choice
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A destination community that supports the work, life and play of all residents
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A vibrant pedestrian friendly main street with Blvd feel and diverse retail shops
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A community that sustains aging in place
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A hub of recreational activities and events
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Accessible green space & natural areas for all
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A 'Village in the Valley'. Distinct, vibrant, down to earth.
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A center of arts and culture
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An engaged community where neighbors socialize, engage, and share ideas
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A community that all Calgarians aspire to live in
A vibrant, sustainable, community of choice
~Fini~
Bowness: sources
sources for various facts, comments, etc
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Crime stats: http://crimemap.calgarypolice.ca/content/DisclaimerPage.aspx
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Population and demographics: 2011 Census, Bowness ARP, Vital Signs
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challenges and solutions: issues raised during many Bowness P&D meetings
and input via vital signs and concerned Bownesians