Improving Street Safety In Our Neighbourhoods | Sept 20, 2018

Here are some of my thoughts on the Street Safety and Neighbourhoods Speed Limits Notice of Motion coming to City Council on September 24. I'm looking forward to robust and thoughtful conversations with constituents and my Council colleagues. Community speeding has been something that constituents in Ward 9 and Calgary have been asking to be tackled with a practical and thoughtful solution.

Improving Calgary's Worst Intersection - 25th Ave & Macleod Tr S | Feb 1, 2017

For years we have heard from our Ward 9 neighbours, especially those in Erlton and Ramsay, about their dissatisfaction when crossing MacLeod Trail at 25th Ave South. Long waits for both cars and pedestrians coupled with delayed crossings when an LRT is approaching has caused this hair-pulling, blood-boiling frustration for those travelling from east to west. 

With emerging best practices in transit-oriented development (TOD) dominating Calgary's urban planning ethos, focusing on neighbourhood life and creating a condition where mixed-use developments can thrive at this intersection is vital. 

There were plans 'on the books' to update this intersection, though those plans were out-dated and, basically, unbuildable. As a result, Council decided to omit the old plans and, in principle, introduce new plans that would  promote walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods around the Erlton LRT station. 

Right now these plan are unfunded and only in their infancy. Deep engagement with the affected communities is needed and, though, a lot of work was done to get us here, a lot more work has to come to get us to where we want to be. 

We encourage all our Ward 9 neighbours, especially those in Erlton, to reach out to our office and share your thoughts on how we can make the intersection of MacLeod Trail and 25th Ave into a vibrant (and functional) part of our inner-city. 

12th Street Bridge Closure - Update | Jan 30, 2017

Your Team Ward 9 knows that our neighbours in Inglewood and Ramsay have been tremendously patient with all the construction in and around their communities over the last year, particularly the Zoo Flood Mitigation project and the 12 Street SE Bridge Replacement project.  We are extremely grateful to all of you for your continued patience and understanding. 

We have been working with the 12 Street SE Bridge Replacement project team over the last year to keep the original bridge open for as along as possible. The intent was that it would be used as a pedestrian bridge so that Inglewoodians and Ramsayites could continue to access the other side of the Bow river and Zoo Island. 

Unfortunately,  your Team Ward 9 recently found of that the existing 12 Street SE Bridge will have to be closed as a result of its deteriorating state.  What we know right now is that the original bridge will be removed as early as Spring 2017. We will be continuing to update our neighbours in Inglewood and Ramsay as we learn more about the timelines and impact on our communities. 

Want to know more about the removal of the existing 12 Street SE bridge? Check out the FAQs.

Synopsis of Council Meeting | May 2-3, 2016

Gian-Carlo explains the outcome of the most recent Meeting of Council which includes the Notice of Motion to cut the red tape around secondary suites and the outcome of the Pedestrian Strategy that was brought forward by the Transportation Department. 

Railway Policy Framework | April 2016

The City of Calgary is currently in the process of reviewing the Railway Corridor Policy. At the March 21st Strategic Meeting of Council, Administration presented the current approach to processing development permit applications adjacent to rail and what they are doing to improve the framework for addressing current issues. Council directed Administration to consult with community members and report back no later than Q2 2016 with a terms of reference that includes deliverables, scope of work and a timeline for creating an improved Railway Policy Framework.