CITY RELEASES IMPROVED PLAN FOR SAFER 2ND STREET SW

After multiple rounds of engagement, the City of Calgary has released new and improved plans for the 2nd Street SW cycle tracks.

The new and improved plan introduces protected cycle tracks while maintaining two-way vehicular traffic on the street with numerous safety improvements along this critical street between the Elbow River Pathway and the Downtown Cycle Track Network.

Hasty budget cuts have led the City of Calgary to announce the closure of the Beltline and Inglewood Aquatic & Fitness Centres at the end of this year

As part of the $60 million budget cuts announced this summer, the City of Calgary is planning to close the Beltline Aquatic & Fitness Centre and the Inglewood Aquatic Centre, both staple recreation assets in the Beltline and Inglewood communities. 

Of the $1.5 million being cut from City of Calgary Recreation, $800,000 is proposed to come from closing the Beltline and Inglewood centres. However, it makes no sense for the City to expect Beltline and Inglewood to shoulder more than half the entire City's cuts to Recreation. 

The Beltline Neighbourhoods Association is requesting community feedback from neighbouring residents of the Cowboys Stampede Tent operated by the Cowboys Music Festival from July 4th to 14th, 2019.

On Monday, the City of Calgary released an update finally acknowledging to Calgarians the extent of their new plans to delay the Downtown and Beltline portion of the Green Line and scrap much of the underground alignment that was approved by City Council in June of 2017 after years of public engagement with Calgary businesses and communities. 

New plans could jeopardize the heart of Calgary’s Green Line as the City announces its intention to reconsider the Downtown and Beltline Green Line LRT alignment.

Read below to find out more about the plans and how you can help.

City releases new plan for safer 2nd Street SW

Thanks to public engagement and much feedback from the community, the City has released a new revised plan for making 2nd Street SW between 26 Ave and 10 Ave SW safer for everyone.

The new plan makes good on building upon the important lesson that the cycle tracks taught us about safety: protected bike lanes greatly increase safety for less confident riders, particularly women and children.

Proposed 2019-2022 budget cuts hurt existing neighbourhoods

After City Council approved 14 new suburban communities this summer and a city-wide 0.75% property tax increase to pay for it, the City is now asking for $447M for the construction of more than a dozen new suburban communities while proposing cuts to planned major public realm and safety improvements on streets in Calgary’s existing neighbourhoods. The City’s 2019-2022 Service Plans and Budget calls for cuts to the City’s Main Streets Program and Complete Streets Program that together are strategically critical investments supporting growth and economic development in existing neighbourhoods all across Calgary, including in the Beltline.

CP Rail wants to build 6 new 232 square-foot backlit digital billboards in the Beltline

As reported by CBC News, CP Rail has partnered with All Vision, a major outdoor advertising developer, to build 6 new 232 square-foot LED-backlit billboards in the Beltline across the railroad bridges at 1 Street SE, 1 Street SW, 8 Street SW, 4 Street SW, and Macleod Trail. The company is currently applying to the City of Calgary for approval.

City Ignoring Its Own Lessons With Unprotected Bike Lane Proposal

The City of Calgary is proposing unprotected bike lanes on 2nd Street SW between the Elbow River at 26 Avenue and the railroad tracks at 10 Avenue on a key stretch of the City’s bike network that is currently marked only symbolically with “sharrows” (painted bike stencils).

A handful of well-organized, vocal landowners in Springbank just outside of Calgary have been blanketing social media with sponsored ads as part of a media and PR blitz behind a massive letter writing campaign to the federal regulator to derail Calgary’s flood mitigation project.