• Westcorp won the right to lease land from the University of Alberta, the winning proposal and lease information (very large pdf) was obtained under a Freedom of Information Request.
  
• Westcorp unfortunately neglected to check into storm drainage requirements prior to submitting its initial proposals, resulting in wasted time, energies, and unreasonable expectations on the first round of consultations.
• Westcorp then unfortunately neglected to consult a professional provider of seniors living accomodations, resulting in more wasted time, energy and unreasonable expections on a second round of consultations.
• By the time Westcorp was ready with a third design concept, the community was so frustrated with Westcorp's past record and further demands, that a third consultation round did not take place.
• City Council approved Westcorp's zoning request - Bylaw 14152 despite fierce community opposition: Bylaw 14152 Community Presentation   (pdf) or Bylaw 14152 (Powerpoint) Presentation.
• Westcorp unfortunately did not check the Bylaw wording in advance of the hearing, which limited the height of the building to an extent that it was not viable to create tall ceilings and put mechanical on top of the building.
• Westcorp then decided to drop the in-house medical services for seniors and go with a luxury concept; however it never reapplied for a height related amendment to the bylaw.
• The greenspace is still available to the community as of May 2008.

LRT - 2006/2007

• Avoiding expropriation of up to 38 houses for park-n-ride facility with a concerted group effort. 
  
• The original south LRT extension plan proposed 1,000 park-and-ride stalls be put at Southgate, which is a major transit centre already, and another 1,200 at the LRT stop at Century Place, the new condo development going up at 111th Street and 23rd Avenue.
  The initial plan was to put the park-and-ride on the shopping centre parking lot, above a new Southgate Centre extension. That deal fell through in a dispute over Southgate's asking price and conditions.  The alternative, expropriating homes across from the Southgate mall in the Malmo Plains neighbourhood to build a park-and-ride, was resisted strongly by Malmo residents.
  
  The residents of Malmo organized a campaign that resulted in a positive outcome for the community.  City council will skip building a park-and-ride facility at its proposed Southgate LRT station that would have meant expropriating homes in the area. 
  
  The Malmo campaign involved the following elements:
  
• very effective letter-writing campaign
• Alex and usually one other member of the community met individually with 8 councillors to lobby in person
• a media-event at City hall to show our resolve
• a community scrap-book that was circulated amongst City Council and
  
• a "5 Minute Park & Ride University" that provided a counter-point balance to the Park & Ride arguments that Council had heard previously from their Transportation Department managers
  

• Privacy Fence (requested by 111a St residents) and McLaurin Baptist Church (their parking lot)
• Improved bells at crossing - less noise to neighbours
  
• Improved Aesthetics (e.g. imprinted jersey barriers, aesthetic fencing, station design)
• Community Monuments
• Station Design sent to Edmonton Design Committee for non-binding suggestions

• 5 Minute Park and Ride University (pdf) was the heart of our media city hall event
  
• SLRT PLM Stakeholder Report (pdf) and SLRT PLM Stakeholder Report documented suggestions for improvements
  
• City Park And Ride Report  (pdf) was the City's PR response after the decision
  
• Southgate Station Design Review Conclusions (pdf)
  

• Website Tracks South LRT Extension Examiner
• Rough Ride For LRT Extension - Examiner
• Malmo Fighting Plan to Put Up Parking Lot Journal
• Park-and-Ride Dilemma Has Council In A Jam - Journal
• Park and Ride Expropriation Threat Has Malmo Residents Worried Journal
• Expropriation Fight Flyer - Call to Meeting
• City May Park Idea of Southgate Park-and-Ride Lot Journal
• Search on Again for Park-and-Ride Journal
• $80 Million to Fight Transit Terror - Journal