I work for Mayor Nenshi, ask me anything!

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I would also hope that under the stewardship of Nenshi and his great staff in the mayors office ...

Easy, bud. Take it down a notch. We know you love him.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Are you serious, CaptainYooh?

Look's like Bigtime was mostly complimenting Bunk and the rest of Nenshi's staff, not the Mayor himself.

[T@T]

Might have been asked but couldn't find anything with a thread search but can you ask Nenshi why there isn't a train ban during rush-hours? The other day it took me an hour to get up 52nd street because of damn trains hooking up at 4-5 pm. this activity jams up the entire foothills up tighter than a frogs ass.

Most large citys don't allow this stuff on major roads during rush-hours, Even Mayor Ford doesn't allow it!

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by T@T

Might have been asked but couldn't find anything with a thread search but can you ask Nenshi why there isn't a train ban during rush-hours? The other day it took me an hour to get up 52nd street because of damn trains hooking up at 4-5 pm. this activity jams up the entire foothills up tighter than a frogs ass.

Most large citys don't allow this stuff on major roads during rush-hours, Even Mayor Ford doesn't allow it!

The city has no control over the federally regulated railways.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by T@T

Might have been asked but couldn't find anything with a thread search but can you ask Nenshi why there isn't a train ban during rush-hours? The other day it took me an hour to get up 52nd street because of damn trains hooking up at 4-5 pm. this activity jams up the entire foothills up tighter than a frogs ass.

Most large citys don't allow this stuff on major roads during rush-hours, Even Mayor Ford doesn't allow it!

Unfortunately the only thing you can do there is find another route home. Nothing the city can do about the trains.

Thank God for Stoney now.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The city has no control over the federally regulated railways.

This is true. We plead, we beg for the railways to be thoughtful about their impacts to commuters in the timing of their train movements. They don't have to do anything the municipality asks, really.

What we can do is put in infrastructure that helps alleviate the worst spots - for instance we're building a $105 million interchange at Glenmore and Ogden.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by T@T

Might have been asked but couldn't find anything with a thread search but can you ask Nenshi why there isn't a train ban during rush-hours? The other day it took me an hour to get up 52nd street because of damn trains hooking up at 4-5 pm. this activity jams up the entire foothills up tighter than a frogs ass.

Most large citys don't allow this stuff on major roads during rush-hours, Even Mayor Ford doesn't allow it!

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The city has no control over the federally regulated railways.

Don't you dare question the "wheels of commerce".

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

This sounds like a good opportunity for a private landowner. They get a three-year lead time to set up a new park with a guaranteed influx of people to fill it.

I'd much prefer something like this to be run privately instead of by the city. Especially considering it isn't even viable for the city anyway.

Problem is, land is at such a premium, now even more than ever with the city limiting outward growth, if you were a land owner, would you rather build a condo or a low-income trailer park? The city needs to fund these projects because no sane businessman will.

[CaptainYooh]

Read today's Herald. One reporter's article plus an Editorial write-up on Midfield Park. Both pieces demand that the City must take care of the residents in a way that no other reasonable landlord would be expected to do. Both articles have it wrong though: the residents don't really want to be helped relocating. Majority of them wants to be left alone because they like the location, cost of living, lifestyle and their neighbours over there. I do sympathize with all of that, as some of them are elderly and lived there for a long time. I also understand the conundrum the City had put itself into. One more reason as to why the City should not be in a housing business unless it's specialized subsidized housing for the poor (which this property is clearly not).

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by CubicleGeek

Problem is, land is at such a premium, now even more than ever with the city limiting outward growth, if you were a land owner, would you rather build a condo or a low-income trailer park? The city needs to fund these projects because no sane businessman will.

The city has already purchased the land in east hills for the park.

http://www.calgaryinfrastructure.ca/...s_705-MHP.html

http://members.shaw.ca/edleavitt/Dra...%20%202012.pdf

Attachment 1
Letter received from Ald. Carra’s office Feb. 9, 2012:
Hello Tove,

Happy New Year to you too! Apologies in the delay in response; it is good to know you have been following the developments at Midfield. Unfortunately, despite Alderman Carra’s work to convince Council that there's a better way forward, they voted to reconfirm the original Go Forward Strategy and pursue the original plan for the construction of East Hills Mobile Home Park, which has as of yet not commenced.

As a result, the City will be looking over the next few years the best way to redevelop the current Midfield site. Alderman Carra suggests your best course of action would be to write a letter to the City’s Corporate Properties department indicating that you would like to be involved in future plans of the site (outlining your organization and current situation), and see what the best way to be further involved is.

We will, of course, be very committed to properly developing this site, as it is a core location of Ward 9. However, it will not be along the same lines as we were originally conveying to you back last year (as in, a constructive in-situ partnership with the residents of Midfield).

I hope this helps clarify the current situation, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions whatsoever.

Best regards,
Jacqueline Brown
Team Ward 9
Executive Assistant to Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra
Historic City Hall, Calgary
eaward9@calgary.ca
www.gccarra.ca
403-268-2477

http://www.midfieldpark.ca/blog2.html

[Bunk]

The City owns land in East Hills - but that does not mean that developing a mobile home park in this location (with all the costs of servicing and developing land) makes financial sense.

A big part of the rationale for 3 years is that private developers indicate (as the Mayor said on the eyeopener this morning) that they have land they feel is feasible to develop more supply for mobile homes in this time frame.

Again, the City has set aside resources to hire people with specific expertise to help residents one-by-one on a relocation plan suitable for them.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by CubicleGeek

Problem is, land is at such a premium, now even more than ever with the city limiting outward growth, if you were a land owner, would you rather build a condo or a low-income trailer park? The city needs to fund these projects because no sane businessman will.

True, but it could provide a landowner with a revenue opportunity on land that may not be developed for 10 or 20 years. Better than having it sit empty.

A big downside is that suitable land is probably on the fringes of the city. And, of course, the land will eventually be needed and there will be another round of relocations at some point in the future. I suppose that's the big risk of not owning the land you're living on. And I don't mean that to sound elitist or anything, but it is really what it boils down to.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Bunk,

Any chance the city can add a lane on the right hand side of Macleod Trail between the ramp from Stoney Trail West to NB Macleod? There's a merge that could be extended 100m to exit into Sundance at 162nd. People drive on the shoulder there in the morning because traffic is backed up beyond the entrance to Sundance. It's illegal but I don't blame them, it shaves 5-10 mins off the commute and through traffic even seems to accommodate them.

Don't bother. People will use it to cut in line and continue north on macleoad. They'll stop, block the lane, left turn signal to cut in. Would be a waste imo.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Bunk

This is true. We plead, we beg for the railways to be thoughtful about their impacts to commuters in the timing of their train movements. They don't have to do anything the municipality asks, really.

What we can do is put in infrastructure that helps alleviate the worst spots - for instance we're building a $105 million interchange at Glenmore and Ogden.

I work down in Ramsay and train crossings literally can block us in our parking lot. If someone suffers a medical emergency we wouldn't be able to get them out nor could an ambulance get in. Boggles my mind this is allowed

[pylon]

Bunk, we have a city raw sewage line that keeps backing up and flooding our parkade. We have had 5 such incidents in 2 years, and the City has only paid out one claim, even though they know it is the city's problem. Our reserve fund is in the ditch close to $40k for all the clean ups. How do we expedite getting the funds reimbursed, it is taking over 2 years per claim, and the City seems to think that is acceptable.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I work down in Ramsay and train crossings literally can block us in our parking lot. If someone suffers a medical emergency we wouldn't be able to get them out nor could an ambulance get in. Boggles my mind this is allowed

Cp rail should sell the city land they own and build a city train bypass. Otherwise help pay for all the overpasses the city has to fund.

Don't see any benefit to them running through any city, it's not a commuter train. They probably spend a fortune paying for transportation safety through a city.

[gladaki]

I invited mayor nenshi for an event. Never got yes or no ?..
Did it from online form. Should I expect yes or no ?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Cp rail should sell the city land they own and build a city train bypass. Otherwise help pay for all the overpasses the city has to fund.

Don't see any benefit to them running through any city, it's not a commuter train. They probably spend a fortune paying for transportation safety through a city.

The benefit is that they don't have to spend 5 billion to do all that work.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by pylon

Bunk, we have a city raw sewage line that keeps backing up and flooding our parkade. We have had 5 such incidents in 2 years, and the City has only paid out one claim, even though they know it is the city's problem. Our reserve fund is in the ditch close to $40k for all the clean ups. How do we expedite getting the funds reimbursed, it is taking over 2 years per claim, and the City seems to think that is acceptable.

If you could email me a contact at the City you've been dealing with I can look into it. joshua.white@calgary.ca

However, I am out of town all next week, so perhaps wait until the 9th.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by gladaki

I invited mayor nenshi for an event. Never got yes or no ?..
Did it from online form. Should I expect yes or no ?

You should usually expect an answer one way or another. Must have been a mix up. Send a note describing the event submission you made to themayor@calgary.ca and ask them to pass it along to the Mayor's EA.