Valley Ridge, Calgary, AB

Valley Ridge

Concerned Residents' Group

This is an image of a new 4-unit rowhouse with 4 secondary suites adjacent to a typical raised bungalow built well before the City of Calgary's undemocratic passing of blanket rezoning. Council's decision went against the desires of ~70% of Calgary homeowners who made submissions at the April 2024 Public Hearing.

THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Nov. 18, 2024: VRCRG Letter to Councillor Sonya Sharp RE TransCanada Sanitary Trunk Project

The TransCanada Sanitary Trunk Project (TSTP) is a significant construction project due to commence in Q2 2025 that will impact Valley Ridge. This is an 8.5 km long, new underground sanitary trunk line to be installed along the north side of the Trans Canada Highway from Rocky View County, just west of Valley Ridge, east to a tie-in point along Bowdale Crescent in Bowness. The new sanitary trunk line will be installed at depths of 7-8 metres using both micro-tunnelling and open trench techniques.

The Valley Ridge portion of the TransCanada Sanitary Trunk Project map is shown below:

This is a link to the VRCRG's November 18, 2024 letter to Councillor Sonya Sharp, Ward 1 outlining community concerns and questions regarding this project. We have also cc'd our letter to our MLA for Calgary West, Hon. Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education.

The City of Calgary Water Services department hosted an Open House on Monday, October 28, 2024, at Crestmont Hall. This is the link to the City's website for this project: https://www.calgary.ca/planning/water/transcanada-sanitary-trunk.html

While timing details are not fully known, the impact of this new sanitary trunk project when combined with the construction of the new West View Interchange planned between the Valley Ridge and Old Banff Coach Road interchanges, may be significant.

In the meantime, should you share our concerns, you can email Councillor Sharp at: ward1@calgary.ca with your questions and concerns. You can also email our MLA Hon. Demetrios Nicolaides at: Demetrios.Nicolaides@assembly.ab.ca

The VRCRG has met with the VRCA, so both community organizations are aware of both impending projects. The VRCRG is presently updating this website so it may be a few days before this work is complete that will include further information as it is available.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at your convenience: vrcrg.communications1@gmail.com

This website will continue to be updated so please check back often.

Sept. 6, 2024: Open House Announcement for the new "West View" Interchange to be Located Immediately West of Valley Ridge

The City of Calgary and The Province are planning a new interchange along the TCH to be located just west of Valley Ridge. This interchange will service the new West View community to be developed west of Crestmont and Valley Ridge. Open house details are:

Date: Sept. 17, 2024 from 5-7 pm

Location: Crestmont Community Hall

The City of Calgary, Rocky View County, the Province, Melcor, and Qualico have partnered on Phase 2 of a "new functional planning study" for the new "West View Interchange" to be located on the TCH, east of Old Banff Coach Road just west of VR / Crestmont shown in the City's schematic below.

This new interchange is NOT planned to be a full interchange. Rather it is designed as a "half-interchange" to service only west-bound traffic from Calgary desiring access into the West View community, or east-bound traffic from West View travelling to Calgary. The new interchange will not enable traffic from West View access to the west-bound lanes towards Banff. Four interchange design options are to be presented at the open house seeking public feedback.

The City of Calgary's website, https://engage.calgary.ca/westview, provides further information for the new interchange.

Details on the Area Structure Plan (ASP) for the new community of West View, approved by City Council on February 24, 2020, can be found at this link.

Please share details of this open house announcement with your friends and neighbors.

June 5, 2024: Catastrophic Water Main Break in NW Calgary

On June 5, 2024, the City of Calgary experienced a catastrophic break in a critical water main in the northwest part of the City, This event resulted in shutting down the TransCanada Highway through a portion of Bowness and Montgomery, placing all Calgarians under stage 4 water restrictions and portions of Bowness into a boil water advisory.

May 14, 2024: City Council Votes to Adopt Blanket Rezoning

Sadly, against the wishes of the vast majority of Calgarians, Calgary councillors approve blanket citywide rezoning after amendments, Calgary Herald, May 14, 2024. Council voted 9 to 6 in favour of the contentious policy with Ward 1's Councillor, Sonya Sharp, one of the six Councillors in opposition. Unquestionably, this will become a high profile election issue during the 2025 municipal election.

The VRCRG opposes blanket rezoning. Also termed "up-zoning", this represents the most significant shift in Calgary’s planning policy in decades. The rationale for our position is provided in our May 3, 2024 letter to Councillor Sharp, cc'd to City Councillors, and in this earlier March 1, 2024, document posted on NextDoor.

May 9, 2024: "What we 'wanted' to hear" report

Public Hearing on Blanket Rezoning: April 22 - May 6, 2024

This was the longest Public Hearing in Calgary's history with 736 people presenting their position to City Council over 12 days that also included 6,101 written submissions.

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Tim Keane, the City's new Chief Planner presented City Administration's "What we heard report" to City Council, in part summarizing results from public feedback over a 12 day period. Incredibly, Mr. Keane's analysis only addressed the 736 presentation to City Council, EXCLUDING all 6,101 written submissions from members of the public. Mr. Keane provided a breakdown of the 736 presentations showing: 227 in support (31%), 458 opposed (62%), with 51 neutral (7%) towards adoption of blanket rezoning. These data indicate a 2:1 ratio of opposing blanket rezoning.

After brief introductory comments, Mr. Keane then devoted less than 5 minutes of his 45 minute presentation to City Council on a factual summary of public feedback. This was followed by nearly 40 minutes of Mr. Keane's own opinions. The purpose of Mr. Keane's presentation to Council was to present a factual summary of the results of public feedback from a 12 day public hearing, not to utilize the majority of his time to inject his own opinions and interpretations.

A pdf file of all 13,434 pages of City Council's agenda for the April 22, 2024 Public Hearing, including those written submissions received by that date are available for download on the City's website. In his May 12, 2024, letter to Mayor Gondek and City Council, Mr. Brian Donaldson provides a more thorough analysis of public feedback on blanket rezoning, that includes the 6,101 written submissions in addition to the 736 presentations made to City Council. In strict contrast to the Mr. Keane's stated 2:1 ratio of opposition, results from Mr. Donaldson's analysis suggest a nearly 10:1 ratio of opposition to support when written submissions are included. City Administration's selective "cherry-picking" of available public feedback supports the use of a biased approach in their comments to City Council via Mr. Keane's presentation.

We note that Mr. Keane's May 9, 2024 presentation to City Council also omitted several key points relating to R-CG blanket rezoning that many of those in opposition spoke to during the Public Hearing, including:

(1) increased allowable lot coverage to 60% for all lots rezoned to R-CG,

(2) elimination of public hearings on land use redesignations and residents' right to object; nor

(3) any mention of the high degree of public concern regarding Council's vote NOT to hold a plebiscite on blanket rezoning.

At best, one can only conclude that Mr. Keane's presentation was misleading and lopsided, and that it is best characterized as the City of Calgary's "What we wanted to hear" report on blanket rezoning. His presentation was indeed a blow to the credibility of City Administration.

Blanket rezoning needs to be rejected entirely, until a plebiscite on blanket rezoning can be held as part of the 2025 election.

Next steps are that Council will reconvene on Monday, May 13, to ask questions of Administration, propose amendments, debate, and finally to vote on whether the City of Calgary will adopt blanket rezoning.

This website provides further details on the City of Calgary's PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.

Other websites containing excellent details on various aspects of blanket rezoning:

Communities Matter No Blanket Rezoning YYC

May 21, 2024: Newly hired Planning GM, Tim Keane, steps down

May 9, 2024: "What we heard report" and Next Steps

May 6, 2024: City of Calgary's Longest Public Hearing Ends

May 3, 2024: VRCRG Letter of Opposition to Councillor Sharp & City Council

April 15, 2024: FCC Rezoning Letter to Mayor Gondek & City Council

April 5, 2024: VRCA Letter to City Council re Blanket Rezoning

March 28, 2024: All-Community Letter (signed by 34 C.A.'s) to Mayor Gondek & City Council

March 21: 2024: Varsity Community Association's 4th Public Meeting RE: Blanket Re-zoning

March 13, 2024: City Council Votes 8 to 6 Denying Calgarians a Plebiscite on Blanket Rezoning

Our website now includes multiple position statements from various community groups and associations explaining why they oppose Blanket Rezoning.

Blanket rezoning: more information

We urge Valley Ridge residents to visit the City's rezoning website to decide for themselves. However, be certain that Valley Ridge will not be immune to the impact of city-wide rezoning. If approved, the zoning rules and guidelines your home purchase decision were based on will change.

In September 2023, 11 community associations across Calgary expressed their opposition to city-wide rezoning by co-writing an article in the Calgary Herald. These and other community associations have been engaged in creating community awareness, providing insights and information for their residents regarding the potential impacts of this policy prior to a Public Hearing of City Council scheduled for April 22nd, 2024.

Many residents have been asking questions about this proposal and its impact on Valley Ridge. As of March 2nd the VRCA has not published any information on its' website, FaceBook page nor in the Valley Breeze. At Counselor Sharp's Ward 1 Community Association Presidents' Meeting on Monday, February 26, the VRCA refused to sign an all-community letter opposing this proposal, instead believing Valley Ridge not to be at risk from city-wide rezoning. Is this serving our community? You may contact the VRCA by emailing: president@vrca.community

This is coming at us fast! Council will decide whether to approve, reject or request further modifications to city-wide rezoning on April 22, 2024, and there is no guaranteed outcome. If you wish to voice your concerns or comments for city-wide rezoning in Valley Ridge and the City of Calgary, please submit your position to the City of Calgary via this link and City Councillor Sonya Sharp by emailing caward1@calgary.ca. The City’s Rezoning for Housing website contains additional information of interest.

Please email us at: vrcrg.communications1@gmail.com with any questions / comments.

December 23, 2023: New Calgary Ring Road Opens Dec. 19, 2023

Calgary's new ring road fully opened on December 19, 2023, one year ahead of schedule. Extending from Highway 1, south to Hwy 8/Glenmore Trail, completion of the West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR), including the new Bow River Bridge, was the final leg in Calgary's 103 km ring road. The WCRR includes a full interchange at Bow Trail SW and two "half interchanges" at both Old Banff Coach Road and 17th Ave. SW.

Its been just over five years since the community's first meeting with Alberta Transportation in the fall of 2018 and Valley Ridge residents could not be happier. During this period, Valley Ridge residents have endured high levels of disruption in the form of construction traffic, detours, noise, dust and various other construction interventions. Feedback we've received is that Valley Ridge motorists see great value in the new roadway linking the community closer to other parts of our City. Residents along Valley Meadows Close NW backing onto the westbound Trans Canada Highway offramp into the community advise they are largely pleased with new and higher noise wall providing improved noise mitigation and privacy screening for their homes.

With its 4-5 lanes of 100 kph roadway, the new WCRR is a phenomenal addition to Calgary's transportation network, already drawing large volumes of traffic from all parts of the City.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-ring-road-open-1.7062792

Insights into Electricity Pricing (August 10, 2023)

The VRCRG has posted an article written by one of its members with commentary on the recent rise in Alberta's electricity rates. This article is presented for information purposes and provides additional links to related websites which may be of interest to Valley Ridge residents.

The VRCRG is not endorsing any type of electricity contracting arrangements whether fixed-price contract or no contract and does not accept responsibility for any outcomes resulting from decisions readers may choose to make regarding their utility contract(s) as a result of information provided in this article.

Bow River Pathway Closure (July 14, 2023)

Early July saw significant erosion from heavy rainfalls result in the closure of the Bow River Pathway. The following piece is taken from AT's July 14, 2023 project update. Please stay safe and avoid use of any portion of the pathway until it is formally re-opened.

"Heavy rain last week and earlier this spring has eroded the slope and parts of the pathway under the Stoney Trail bridges, making the area unsafe. Work to rebuild the pathway is underway. While repairs are ongoing, pedestrian travel through this area is prohibited as there are no safe alternative pathways available for public use. Public patience and respect for the closure is appreciated. We understand the regional pathway is an important transportation route and recreational facility. The repairs will be completed as quickly as possible."