Calgary Civic Election Poll #3: The race heats up

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Just to be clear when you talk and use the phrase 'sustainable,' you intend it to mean fiscally and socially stable from a community perspective as opposed to a 'The Car is evil and contributes to global warming perspective' right?

That's exactly right. Cars are just fine, but total car dependency is a symtom of poor planning locally and regionally.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Just to be clear when you talk and use the phrase 'sustainable,' you intend it to mean fiscally and socially stable from a community perspective as opposed to a 'The Car is evil and contributes to global warming perspective' right?

I won't speak for Bunk, but when I talk about sustainable development, I mean your former definition. Continually building low-density housing further and further away from the core is not a fiscally-conservative model for long-term city growth. For example, an oft-quoted number is that McIver et. al. watering down Plan It will cost Calgary taxpayers $2 billion.

While I don't think The Car is "evil" per se, I do think communities should be designed so that other modes of transportation are favoured by citizens rather than the existing car culture we have in the city today. Major election issues like traffic congestion, commuting times, and snow removal would be much less of a problem if our city was designed to encourage walking first, cycling/transit second, and driving last.

That's not to say I necessarily think there should be negative incentives against driving, rather, walking/cycling/transit should be made more attractive so people voluntarily choose those options over their car.

[Cscutch]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well Mar may not get back to you right away, but you can rest assured that when he does reply to you he will be in one of his finest 3 piece suits...

I like Pashak, the more I hear about him the more I like. He's pretty much a lock for my ward 8 vote at this point.

I was at the Ward 8 forum last night and Mar and Pashak are going to be the top two, the other two candidates are fringe candidates with Mr. Lapp being only a one issue candidate. Pashak started off a bit slow mostly nerves I believe but towards the end he was getting his ideas out and had gained support of most of the crowd. Mar kept on promoting plan it throughout the night, but also admitted that he accepts donations from developers as they need a say, also didn’t mention how he was part of the group that gutted plan it.

The forum format was good but I thought the two fringe candidates didn’t add much to the conversation and took away too time from the top two candidates Mar and Pashak. There was some good dialog when Mar and Pashak were asked the same question.

Chris

[Cowboy89]

Just on another note. I noticed something this morning and I was wondering what the local CP civic politics gurus think about it. Gordon Lowe Alderman for Ward 2 hung 2 huge election signs inside Dalhousie station in a similar manor to the standard city sign announcing an election on October 18 that was also hung up in Dalhousie station. Is this fair play? Can any other candidate for alderman have access to Dalhousie station to hang an election sign? Also they way those signs were hung up it looked like they were done at the same time as the General election sign, making me wonder if civil servants were paid to hang re-election signs for Gordon Lowe.

[getbak]

I'm not sure yet who I'm going to vote for for Alderman in Ward 9, but without reading anything on their platforms, I think it's safe to say I won't be voting for Stan The Man Waciak.

[maverickstruth]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Also they way those signs were hung up it looked like they were done at the same time as the General election sign, making me wonder if civil servants were paid to hang re-election signs for Gordon Lowe.

I don't know the details, but I do know that the general election ("get out and vote") signs were up several days before the ones for Gordon Lowe. So they weren't put up at the same time. /shrug

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Cscutch

I was at the Ward 8 forum last night and Mar and Pashak are going to be the top two, the other two candidates are fringe candidates with Mr. Lapp being only a one issue candidate. Pashak started off a bit slow mostly nerves I believe but towards the end he was getting his ideas out and had gained support of most of the crowd. Mar kept on promoting plan it throughout the night, but also admitted that he accepts donations from developers as they need a say, also didn’t mention how he was part of the group that gutted plan it.

The forum format was good but I thought the two fringe candidates didn’t add much to the conversation and took away too time from the top two candidates Mar and Pashak. There was some good dialog when Mar and Pashak were asked the same question.

Chris

Thanks for the rundown, I would have gone to the forum but had a conflicting meeting.

Not surprised Mar would keep his role in gutting Plan-It quiet, he will tell you only what he wants you to hear. Those of us that know the whole truths need to spread the word so everyone knows the real deal about Jon "The Fence Sitter" Mar.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by maverickstruth

I don't know the details, but I do know that the general election ("get out and vote") signs were up several days before the ones for Gordon Lowe. So they weren't put up at the same time. /shrug

That sounds reassuring that at the very least they weren't hung by the same people at the same time. Now I need to find out if hypothetically other candidates can do the same thing on city property to see if the signs are above board.

[Cscutch]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Thanks for the rundown, I would have gone to the forum but had a conflicting meeting.

Not surprised Mar would keep his role in gutting Plan-It quiet, he will tell you only what he wants you to hear. Those of us that know the whole truths need to spread the word so everyone knows the real deal about Jon "The Fence Sitter" Mar.

Some topics discussed last night @ Ward 8 Forum

This is all from memory... My phone died just before the forum so couldn't take notes.

- Sprawl, Being ward 8 the crowd was anti-sprawl and that is to be expected.

Mar, Talked about Plan It and his achievements. Mention that the City now charges $10,000 per unit to the developers in sprawling communities.

Pashak, Mentioned how Plan It was gutted, Talked about allowing secondary suites, improving small business licences making downtown more liveable. Un fare for the ward 8 tax payers to fund sprawling communities.

- Dedicated cycle lanes. Crowd was very pro on this topic.

Mar, Mentioned that they are looking into dedicated bike lanes, mentioned about curb separated and painted roadway on Richmond road, that is in the works.

Pashak, Big supporter and of more bike lanes, took a few shots @ Mar about how nothing has been done already mostly.

- Empty Construction Pits.

Mar, Talked about the Strategic site on 4th. City is looking at developing it and moving the Kerby Center, Meals on wheels, and making low income housing there.

Pashak, Took shots @ Mar again saying it is great to have a solution for one site but not the rest. Mentioned how they are safety hazards and hurt land value in the area. Mention that there should be better legislation preventing these issues from happening in the future.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

McIver et. al. watering down Plan It will cost Calgary taxpayers $2 billion.

Would that be nominal dollars spread over years or would that be a NPV calculation and if so risked at what percentage? Not that I'm jumping to McIvers defense, but if it turns out that on an NPV basis at a reasonable discount rate to equate a couple hundred million then voters might actually support it if it means more development that they wish to live in.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Cscutch

- Empty Construction Pits.

Mar, Talked about the Strategic site on 4th. City is looking at developing it and moving the Kerby Center, Meals on wheels, and making low income housing there.

Pashak, Took shots @ Mar again saying it is great to have a solution for one site but not the rest. Mentioned how they are safety hazards and hurt land value in the area. Mention that there should be better legislation preventing these issues from happening in the future.

The Strategic site on 4th is cursed, cursed I tell ya! Nothing will ever be built there, they should make it a sort of weird roadside attraction. "The Unbuildable Pit!"

Thanks again for the details on the forum, the bike lanes comments are very interesting. Funny that Mar only makes mention of one bike lane way down in Richmond road, while the Beltline absolutely sucks for separation between vehicles and cyclists.

[4X4]

There's one condo crater on ~24th and 15th that must severely piss off the neighbours. All overgrown with weeds, the Supersave fence is falling down, the parkade is half built with just the concrete pillars sporting rusty rebar sticking out of the top. Major eyesore smack in the middle of a bunch of condos.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Cscutch

[Mar mentioned] that the City now charges $10,000 per unit to the developers in sprawling communities.

Did they actually do this? From what I had heard, that got gutted too.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by SebC

Did they actually do this? From what I had heard, that got gutted too.

I know my opinions are somewhat unpopular on here, but I didnt say that

[Knut]

Originally Posted by 4X4

There's one condo crater on ~24th and 15th that must severely piss off the neighbours. All overgrown with weeds, the Supersave fence is falling down, the parkade is half built with just the concrete pillars sporting rusty rebar sticking out of the top. Major eyesore smack in the middle of a bunch of condos.

Its for sale again if you want to buy it !

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Its for sale again if you want to buy it !

How much? I've always wanted a big hole

[stevinder]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Thanks again for the details on the forum, the bike lanes comments are very interesting. Funny that Mar only makes mention of one bike lane way down in Richmond road, while the Beltline absolutely sucks for separation between vehicles and cyclists.

What? He didn't boast about the bike lanes on 26th Ave SW? Richmond RD should be widened anyway, but the community would kill off that possibility.

[Bunk]

Latest "Better Idea" policy release from Nenshi:

Re: Poverty/Opportunity
http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/245

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Latest "Better Idea" policy release from Nenshi:

Re: Poverty/Opportunity
http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/245

I'm a Nenshi fan, but "Convening a panel to examine best practices..." sounds pretty much like doing nothing but talking about a problem.

Either do something or don't, but don't spend a bunch of money on consultants and focus groups and research.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I'm a Nenshi fan, but "Convening a panel to examine best practices..." sounds pretty much like doing nothing but talking about a problem.

Either do something or don't, but don't spend a bunch of money on consultants and focus groups and research.

I'm not sure about a formal panel, but any sound public policy development should include a review of best practices.