Anger and frustration don’t come close to descriving how some people in Calgary feel about blanket rezoning.
On Wednesday, some Calgarians made their voices heard at a heated public engagement session in the city’s southwest.
Residents from West Elbow came out for an event organized by the local residents’ association, concerned for the future of their community.
In May, city council voted 9-6 in favour of city-wide rezoning with amendments to allow rowhomes and multiplexes to be built alongside single-family homes and duplexes across most of Calgary.
Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott, who supported the motion, shared the event on social media, but wasn’t there to field people’s questions.
TONIGHT: West Elbow Local Area Planning
In-person Engagement Session
June 12, 2024 from 6 – 8 p.m.
Elbow Park Residents Association (800 34 Ave S.W.).
Registration not required. Drop in between 6 PM – 8 PM.https://t.co/2SY2q5MFd3 pic.twitter.com/LOZSEpNey7
— Courtney Walcott (@CWalcottYYC) June 12, 2024
One attendee says that’s unacceptable.
“I do believe that we need to make sure that we have someone in place and we all need to stand behind them and find a new solution to Courtney,” she told CityNews.
Another explains she doesn’t believe the message being pushed by city council.,
“We bought the best homes that we could get at the time for what we could afford and now they want to come in and they say ‘Oh, but it will increase the value of your land and of your homes.’ It will not,” she said.
Another area resident leaving the session said she was disappointed and didn’t feel she got a thoughtful response to her questions.
“I just wondered if they came prepared with answers without really think through the problem,” she said.
Another attendee tells CityNews he understands why people are upset.
“To them, I hope they can appreciate that a neighbourhood is a living, dynamic thing,” he said. “People are scared of change but change is kind of necessary.”
A statement posted to Facebook by Elbow Park Residents’ Association president Lisa Poole, accuses the city of failing to acknowledge input from area residents.
She points to a proposed density map for West Elbow, which shows four to six storey buildings in areas blocked off for single and semi-detached homes.
Poole calls the working group tasked with developing a local plan an insult to the volunteer participants, and shared a link to a GoFundMe to help back a legal challenge to blanket rezoning.
Another virtual engagement session for the area is scheduled on the city’s website is scheduled for June 18.
CityNews has reached out to Coun. Walcott for comment.
-With files from Jayden Wasney