Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarygeologist
I love the grandiose plans for the TOD that the City planners envision but I wish it was easier for them to make it a reality. It would have been expensive at the time but the City should have expropriated all the land between 33 and 37 street and Bow Trail and 17 Ave during the transit expansion.
They could have used the land for the LRT tunnel, built a new and proper rec centre with a new library (Killarney rec centre just isn't sufficient and the library in Spruce Cliff is pretty disappointing.) They could have built in some green space while also putting in some sort of new affordable housing solutions. The remaining sections/parcels could have gone to developers for commercial and residential purposes.
I hate seeing areas like Westbrook Mall and their ownership bring down or stall potentially attractive re-development.
|
Rarely do you ever see developments of this magnitude every completed at the same time - atleast not in Calgary. They are usually phased, and for good reason. Financing restraints, traffic management, community pushback... the list goes on.
Look at Banker's Hall - that 2nd tower didn't happen until 10 years later. The Westgate development (three condo towers) took four years. London at Heritage is STILL building, and that's a four-condo development going on six years now. Chinook Mall will be expanding across Macleod Trail... the list goes on. Rarely are these things ever all built at once.
There isn't really a need for the development to go ahead at the same time, either. I think that's just a personal preference on your part - which is fine, but it isn't something to be upset about. There's so many complicated factors that go into these massive developments that it is normal to expect a drawn-out timeframe for these things.
As for affordable housing, a library, commercial development zones, etc... those are all being factored in. In fact, you may not know this, but the Shaganappi library is moving to a new location (I believe it's going to be in the new Transit Centre building, but I'm not 100% sure).
It's all going to come, just be patient.