July 2023 newsletter
Hello, Ward 1!
I hope you have all been having a beautiful summer so far! It has been such a fun month seeing so many of you at Stampede breakfasts, community BBQs and other summer events. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come and speak with me about what is important to you. I value the time I get to spend in the community and speaking with residents directly. I hope your family has had time to enjoy many pancakes, a happy Canada Day, some Stampede fun, and that you are now looking forward to a gorgeous August ahead.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office with additional questions or concerns. We appreciate hearing from each of you and would love to connect this summer.
—Sonya Sharp
Councillor Sharp and the Ward 1 team at the Premier's Stampede Breakfast. Left to Right: Marley Gillies, Connor Molineaux, Councillor Sonya Sharp, and Nadia Friesen.
Councillor Sharp flipping pancakes at Calgary Economic Development's annual First Flip Stampede breakfast on Stephen Avenue.
Councillor Sharp and her City Council colleagues preparing for the Stampede Parade. Clockwise from left: Councilllors Andre Chabot, Evan Spencer, Courtney Walcott, Richard Pootmans, Raj Dhaliwal, Jennifer Wyness, Dan McLean, Sonya Sharp, and Jasmine Mian.
Councillor Sharp at CF Market Mall's annual Stampede breakfast with Tracey Zehl, member of the Calgary Stampede's board of directors, and Harry the Horse, official mascot of the Calgary Stampede.
The Tuscany Residents Association hosted Sonya Sharp, Councillor Ward 1; The Hon. Rajan Sawhney, ECA, MLA Calgary North-West; and Pat Kelly, MP Calgary Rocky Ridge for the opening of the Tuscany Club's new playground and their annual Stampede breakfast.
Community updates
Crestmont pedestrian safety improvements
As a result of advocacy from the community, safety improvements are coming to Crestmont Boulevard SW. Our office has been working with The City's Mobility unit to ensure that necessary safety measures are in place to make Crestmont Blvd safer for pedestrians.
Crestmont neighbours will soon notice additional signage, traffic calming curb extensions, and parking restrictions at Crestmont Blvd, adjacent to the turnoff to Crestridge Common. There will also be additional signage at Crestmont pathway crossing (just west of Crestridge Hill SW). These improvements will be completed by the end of the summer.
Residents also will have noticed that there has been a change in the speed limit along Crestmont Blvd to 40 km/h from 50 km/h between regional pathway at the west end of the community and the playground zone at the east end of the community. This will help lessen the speeding incidents and will encourage drivers to slow down. If residents witness vehicles speeding thought the community, submit a Traffic Service Request to ensure that the Calgary Police Service include this area in their enforcement cycle.
Valley Ridge and Bowness Park pathway
The temporary pathway between Valley Ridge and Bowness Park was washed away by the storm on July 6th. Based on the amount of water damage and erosion, it will likely be several weeks to repair. The Ward 1 office is working closely with City Administration to ensure the repair is completed safely and in a timely manner.
As the pathway is within the boundaries of the provincial West Calgary Ring Road project, we recommend subscribing to the project email newsletter for the most timely updates on this pathway.
Silver Springs Neighbourhood Streets construction update
The Silver Springs Neighbourhood Streets project continues, and residents will continue to notice construction in the area to implement additional traffic calming measures to improve pedestrian, bike, and traffic safety.
Nose Hill Dr. NW – Rebuild Sidewalk and Driveways: July 4 – Late July
- Starting July 4, the Neighbourhood Street Team plans to begin installation of a temporary pedestrian barrier on northbound Nose Hill Dr NW between Scenic Acres Blvd. and Silver Springs Blvd. NW to provide a safe and accessible detour route for pedestrians while sidewalks on the other side of the street are being reconstructed. This barrier and lane closure will remain in place for approximately 4 weeks until work is completed.
- Starting July 6, closures of the sidewalks and two driveways along Nose Hill Dr NW, beside Spring Hill Village, to allow construction crews to safely rebuild the driveways and install a new pathway in the area. The sidewalks and driveways are expected to remain closed for approximately 4 weeks until work is completed. There will be a right-hand lane closure northbound between Scenic Acres Blvd NW and Silver Springs Blvd. NW from approximately 7AM until 3PM daily.
Nose Hill Dr. N.W. – Rebuild Sidewalk and Driveways: Late July – August
- The right-hand lanes on eastbound and westbound Silver Springs Blvd NW will be permanently closed to install new road markings, Canmore Curb wheeling lane barriers, and signage to support new on-street wheeling lanes and dedicated bus stop zones. Once completed, all temporary lane closure materials will be removed and then the new on-street protected wheeling lanes will be open to the public.
For more information and the latest construction updates, visit calgary.ca/SilverSpringsStreets.
If you have any questions, please direct them to the project team email at neighbourhoodstreets@calgary.ca.
Transit service updates
Four times a year, Calgary Transit reviews service levels, schedules, and routes to learn what is working well and what could be improved. These changes are made based on feedback from customers and drivers, ridership levels, and changing traffic patterns. This includes some changes in Ward 1 that will change starting September 4, 2023.
- Route 305 – Bowness will be cancelled due to low ridership. Route 1 will have increased frequency as a result.
- Route 408 – Valley Ridge is becoming Route 108 – Paskapoo Slopes, and will have higher frequency and shorter travel times.
More information will be available later this summer at calgarytransit.com/serviceupdates.
ENMAX projects in Ward 1
ENMAX has a number of ongoing construction projects in Ward 1. For more details, visit enmax.com/projects.
| Neighbourhood | Project | Anticipated dates |
|---|---|---|
| Varsity | Underground power cable replacement | Late July until October |
| Rocky Ridge | New development construction (Rockcliff Heights) | July |
| Varsity | Transmission line relocation | Mid-August until Q2 2024 |
| Varsity & University District | Transmission line upgrage | Timeline TBD |
Bowness wading pool
Parks & Open Spaces had to make the difficult decision to close Bowness wading pool for the 2023 season. Necessary safety repairs to the wading pool surface structure are required so the pool will remain closed throughout the summer. For alternative locations, all wading pools and spray park locations are posted online.
9 PM routine
Our office would like to take a moment to remind residents about maintaining safe and secure practices for your home and your vehicle. We work closely with the Calgary Police Service to monitor trends and share communications to ensure that residents are informed and prepared. Due to recent incidents, we want to remind Ward 1 residents to practice the 9 PM Routine.
The Calgary Police Service also recommends that residents hide insurance or registration papers in your vehicles, or keep them in a wallet on your person. Don't keep garage door openers in vehicles that are left parked and unattended.
Stay safe on Calgary's waterways
With the summer finally here, we know many residents are enjoying time on our rivers. The City of Calgary's Partners in Water Safety are urging Calgarians to prioritize their safety while enjoying water activities by reminding users that “where there’s water, there is risk”. To ensure a safe experience while spending a summer day at the water, please remember these useful tips:
- Scout the waterway: look for potential hazards and check weather and water conditions.
- Assess the danger level: be aware of the swimming and paddling skills of your group and avoid the rivers during high-flow advisories. Calgarians can check the flow rates at calgary.ca/watersafety.
- Make necessary preparations: ensure your watercraft or floatation is suitable for the chosen waterway and meets weight capacity requirements. Have proper paddles or oars to maintain control and navigate around bridges or other obstacles. Remember to provide correctly fitting lifejackets or personal flotation devices for everyone in the watercraft and always carry a boat safety kit.
For more information and water safety resources, visit calgary.ca/watersafety.
News from City Council
Parking fees
City Administration has delayed the roll out of the new fee structure until December 4, 2023.
The additional time allows residents to request a review of parking restrictions for their street. The City will conduct a parking study and determine if any changes are warranted.
We strongly encourage anyone who currently has a parking permit and who feels they aren't necessary on their street to request a parking study by contacting 311. Calgary.ca has more details on this process and the upcoming changes.
As it currently stands, the same fees that were previously announced will still be put in place on December 4. However, Councillor Sharp and a number of her colleagues plan to revisit this issue during Council's annual budget deliberations in November.
Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or comments on these changes.
Updates in brief
- The Foothills Multisport Fieldhouse is a priority capital project that will provide year-round opportunities for Calgarians to play, practice and compete while also allowing Calgary to host major sporting events that attract tourists and support local businesses. The Foothills Multisport Fieldhouse committee recently approved the initial design phase of the project and gave approval for the Recreation team to continue to pursue this project by defining the development process and procurement strategy.
- The Community Development Committee recently debated bylaw changes to allow RV parking on front driveways from May to October. Councillor Sharp raised concerns about enforcement, increased confusion for residents, and the use of a public street. The committee voted to refer this proposal back to City Administration for further review. Councillor Sharp believes this is not an efficient use of City resources and would prefer to see The City maintain the current rules. Council will debate the issue again early next year.
- Business friendly updates to the Land Use Bylaw were approved unanimously at the Infrastructure Planning Committee on July 5. If approved at Council, the new changes will reduce permit processing times and cut permit fees to make it simpler for businesses to open and operate in Calgary.
Updates on City services
Home upgrades program
The Home Upgrades Program is a new and the only program of his kind to help homeowners struggling with their energy bills. This program aims to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption by offering deep energy retrofits and providing energy education and mentorship free of charge to eligible families in Calgary and Edmonton. The program will provide education and home upgrades to ~100 households. To apply or learn more, visit homeupgradesprogram.ca.
Main Streets survey
To help understand how Calgary’s main streets are doing, The City is launching the annual Main Streets Metrics Program, which will collect and track data related to how our main streets support our communities. Visit calgary.ca/mainstreets and take the public survey or the business survey to share your voice.
Annual paving program
The City's annual paving program began in June and will continue through to October. As part of the City of Calgary's ongoing efforts to improve and maintain infrastructure, the paving program plays an essential role in ensuring our streets and sidewalks are safe and accessible for all citizens. The main priority of the program is asphalt roadway repair or replacement, however work may also include replacement of concrete sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, and curbs and gutters. The work may cause some disruptions to your community. Real-time information on locations and schedules can be found on the Calgary Roadway Activities Map.
Categories: General, Newsletter