April 13, 2020: AT's WCRR Update - Crestmont Controlled Blasting & TCH/VR Blvd Girders Installed

AT's online announcement

North Project: Controlled Blasting East of Crestmont

AT advise on April 13 that starting in mid-April, a small area south of Crestmont Boulevard SW will be excavated using controlled blasting.

Blasting in this area will be intermittent and take approximately three months to complete (July 2020). Blasting is anticipated to take place in spurts, with crews moving in and out of the area periodically. For more information, please check westringroad.ca > North Project > Controlled Blasting. All blasts will occur between 3 pm and 5 pm, Monday to Saturday, and will be monitored by seismograph equipment.

TCH / VR Blvd Interchange – First Girders Installed

Residents can't help but notice the first of three bridges to form the new TCH / VR Blvd is taking shape. This bridge is located on the north side of the TCH just east of the existing underpass. During the week of April 6, girders were installed on this, the second of 20 bridges on the North project. Eight girders comprise the new bridge, each measuring two metres high, 35 metres long and weighing 55 tonnes.

Note the elevation difference between the top of each girder compared to the existing TCH roadbed just to the south. This gives an indication the height of the completed TCH roadbed will be 2 to 3 metres higher than the existing roadbed.

April 6, 2020: AT's WCRR Project Update - Pile-driving now ~50% complete, Enmax Re-locations, Bowness Park Closure & Piling Update

AT's online announcement

North Project: Piling Approximately 50 Per Cent Complete

AT announced that as of March 31, nearly 500 piles have been installed for the 20 bridges on this project, totaling approximately 15,000 vertical metres.

There are three bridges on the new Trans-Canada Highway/Valley Ridge Blvd NW interchange: one north of the Trans-Canada, one south and one going over the highway. The bridge on the north (Valley Ridge) side will have eight precast concrete girders installed during the week of April 6th.

Bow River Bridge Project: Evening Lane Closures on Stoney Trail for ENMAX Relocations

AT announced that ENMAX is relocating an overhead power line south of the Bow River to accommodate the new bridge. In the coming weeks (mid- to late April and early May), periodic lane closures will be required on Stoney Trail for short times in the evenings. Minor delays are expected. Please check 511 Alberta for current road conditions.

Bow River Bridge Project: Bowness Park Closures Start Today (April 6)

Starting April 6, Bowness Park is closed to vehicles and the pathways on the south side of the Bow River west of Stoney Trail are also closed.

March 23, 2020: Bowness Park access and pathway closures

Bowness Park (no vehicle access) & Pathway Closures: April 6 - 20, 2020

The Bowness Park parking lot will be closed from April 6 – 20, 2020, for high volumes of construction vehicles to access the south shore of the Bow River. A flag person will direct traffic on 48 Avenue SW. Construction vehicles will use 85 Street NW and 48 Avenue NW to access the site. Nearby residents should expect minor noise and traffic disruptions throughout the duration of this work.

March 16, 2020: AT's West Calgary Ring Road Update

BRIDGE TWINNING PROJECT: On the north side of the river, concrete work on the bridge piers continues and crews will be placing rebar on the abutment. Rebar is used to strengthen and reinforce the concrete.

March 9, 2020: Bridge Work Update at Valley Ridge Boulevard / TCH Interchange

March 9, 2020: Bow River Bridge Project Update

Pathway Closure in Bowness Park: The southern section of the paved regional pathway between the parking lot and the Stoney Trail bridge is closed until the project is complete in 2022. A chain link fence has been installed on the north side of the pathway to provide a construction access via a haul road to the south shore of the river. The trail along the southern edge of the park next to the lagoon remains open, and people can still access the pedestrian bridge over the river. Please watch for signage and construction vehicles in the area.

During the week of March 9, work on the north shore piers continues with concrete placement and rebar installation. On the south shore, construction is proceeding on the timber retaining wall for the new pathway (please see the project web page for details). Crews will also be mobilizing a piling rig to install piles for a retaining wall.

March 4, 2020: Bowness Park - Temporary Park Closure

Councillor Ward Sutherland's Ward 1 Report for March 2020, reports that Bowness Park will be temporarily closed for approximately 2-3 weeks in April 2020. There will be a large volume of construction materials being delivered to site this spring. To minimize the disruption to the site and to ensure the safety of Calgarians, Bowness Park will be temporarily closed to accommodate the increased construction traffic. The park will be closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians in specific areas for the entire duration of these weeks. Please obey all signage for your own safety during construction activities. Further Information will be shared as soon as the dates are known. Bookings will be temporarily unavailable while the park is closed, but available once re-opened.

Thus far, AT's project website is not yet providing further information on this issue so the VRCA has requested further details from AT.

February 24, 2020: AT issues WCRR Update for the Bow River Bridge, North and South Projects

(2) CONTROLLED BLASTING (AT website): As conventional methods would be ineffective, controlled blasting will be utilized for removal of up to 20m of bedrock on the Paskapoo slope immediately west of Cougar Ridge. This is required to lower the level of the new ring road well below adjacent homes in order to mitigate noise and visual impacts of the new freeway.

AT's third public information session for controlled blasting will be on Wednesday, March 11, from 5 – 7 pm at WinSport’s Markin McPhail Centre (151 Canada Olympic Rd SW). If you have questions about blasting or are concerned about damage to your home, please email wcrrblasting@explotech.com AT's project team will respond in one business day. AT has held two previous open houses for controlled blasting on Sat., Jan. 11, 2020 and Wed., Feb. 12, 2020. We understand there were between 50 - 80 people in attendance on Jan. 11 with only five attendees at the Feb. 12 open house.

SOUTH PROJECT

TREE & BRUSH CLEARING UNDERWAY: Tree and brush clearing started late last week and will be ongoing until the end of March 2020. The comment summary from the January 29, 2020 information session is now available. More information about tree and brush clearing, including details

February 19, 2020: South Project - Tree Clearing Begins Feb. 20

Alberta Transporation Announcement: Tree and brush clearing begins February 20, 2020.

Tree and brush clearing for the south segment of the West Calgary Ring Road is set to begin this Thursday, February 20, 2020, and will continue through the end of March 2020. Clearing is expected to start at Old Banff Coach Road SW and move progressively south.

Tree and brush clearing is necessary to make room for the ring road, major power lines, pipelines and utilities. Alberta Transportation has carefully considered the environmental impacts related to tree clearing for this project. Trees and brush will only be cleared in the areas required to construct the new infrastructure to support the project’s successful completion.

Safety is a top priority for the Government of Alberta and our contractors. Residents and all members of the public are reminded to stay out of the Transportation Utility Corridor as it is an active construction site.

For more information about this work visit westringroad.ca > South Project > Tree and Brush Clearing

February 17, 2020: Bow River Pathway Re-opening & Construction Progress Updates

CONTROLLED BLASTING CONTINUES: Five people attended the controlled blasting information session on February 12 and no comment forms were submitted. The next public information session for controlled blasting will be on Wednesday, March 11, 5 – 7 pm at WinSport’s Markin McPhail Centre (151 Canada Olympic Rd SW).

To date, there have been almost 50 blasts in the Transportation Utility Corridor. For an updated map showing the blast locations, please visit the Controlled Blasting web page.

SOUTH PROJECT: Crews will be onsite the week of Feb. 17 preparing for tree and brush clearing, which begins on Thursday, February 20. Removals are expected to start at Old Banff Coach Road SW and move progressively south. More information about the tree and brush clearing is available online.

AT advises that safety is a top priority for the Government of Alberta and contractors. Residents and all members of the public are reminded to stay out of the Transportation Utility Corridor as it is an active construction site.

February 10, 2020: West Calgary Ring Road Project Update from Alberta Transportation

AT issued a project update for the Bow River Bridge, North and South Projects. The text below is taken from AT's website.

For updates on the West Calgary Ring Road, please visit westringroad.ca. For up-to-date information on traffic detours and speed reductions as a result of construction activity in and around Calgary please visit 511 Alberta.

Bow River Bridge:

PATHWAY UPDATE: AT advises the pathway on the south side of the Bow River connecting Valley Ridge and Bowness Park is fully closed for tree and brush clearing until later in February. There is no pathway detour available during this time, nor is there access to the Bow River pedestrian bridge to or from the west. The City of Calgary also maintains a Pathway Closures map.

North Project

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS UPDATE: Work on the 20 bridge structures within this project is ongoing and is focused primarily on piling and concrete work for the piers and abutments.

CONTROLLED BLASTING: As this work continues, controlled blasting has been happening closer to residents. People living and working close to the controlled blasting can expect to feel vibrations and this may cause concern. There will be a public information session to provide an update on blasting activity and progress on Wednesday, February 12, 5 – 7 pm at WinSport’s Markin McPhail Centre (151 Canada Olympic Rd SW).

South Project

UTILITY RE-LOCATIONS: Located along Old Banff Coach Road SW, west of 85 Street SW, utility re-locations have been ongoing since August 2019. This work involves open excavations. As this work continues, drivers can expect reduced speeds through the area. Drivers are reminded to use extra caution when navigating through active construction sites, reduce distractions and obey all speed and construction signage.

January 27, 2020: West Calgary Ring Road Project Update from Alberta Transportation

BOW RIVER BRIDGE TWINNING PROJECT: Bow River Bridge Temporary Closure

Starting January 27 and lasting approximately three weeks, the pathway on the south side of the Bow River connecting Valley Ridge and Bowness Park will be fully closed for tree and brush clearing. This work is required to accommodate the new Bow River Bridge. There will be no pathway detour available during this time, nor will there be access to the Bow River pedestrian bridge to or from the west.

Please check westringroad.ca for additional details on the pathway closure and upcoming changes.

NORTH PROJECT:

1. Controlled Blasting on Paskapoo Slopes

Controlled blasting has been occurring in the Paskapoo Slopes area since early November 2019. Controlled blasting is engineered and controlled for safe execution and Alberta Transportation's contractors follow accepted industry standards to ensure safety and concerns are addressed.

Blasting resumed on Wednesday, January 22, 2020. Alberta Transportation continues to work with our contractors during construction and will follow up with residents as progress continues. Seismograph reports from all the blasts in November and December 2019 are available on westringroad.ca. A calendar with the blasting schedule and more information about the vibrations associated with controlled blasting is also available on westringroad.ca.

Another public information session will be held on February 12, 2020. Please check westringroad.ca > North Project > Controlled Blasting for details.

2. Work South of Valley Ridge

The area immediately south of Valley Ridge saw significant construction in 2019. This area will continue to see considerable activity in 2020 as well.

The stormwater and watermain installations are complete in the sections behind Valley Meadow Close NW and Valley Brook Circle NW; these installations will continue east and west of this area in the spring.

Excavation and earthworks behind Valley Meadow Close NW and Valley Brook Circle NW will also continue this spring and summer as bridge and road construction progress. The piling for the basketweave bridge just south of Valley Brook Circle NW was completed last fall and the bridge structure is about 10 per cent complete.

The project plans and detailed information about the work happening south of Valley Ridge are available at westringroad.ca > North Project.

SOUTH PROJECT: Tree & Brush Removal

Before construction on the south segment starts, some trees and brush will be cleared from the Transportation / Utility Corridor beginning in early February. This work will continue until April 31, 2020 between Old Banff Coach Road SW and Lower Springbank Road.

The trees are being removed now to avoid the nesting season for migratory birds and other nesting species.

We're hosting a public information session on Wednesday, January 29 from 5 — 7 pm at the Elbow Springs Golf Club. Everyone is welcome to drop in and learn about why the trees need to be removed and our plans for restoration when the project is complete.

January 24, 2020: Bow River Pathway temporary closure - no detour available

January 24, 2020/in Bow River Bridge construction notices /by Lindsay

SOURCE: https://westringroad.ca/2020/01/24/bow-river-pathway-temporary-closure-no-detour-available/

The pathway will reopen in mid-February along with a new timber staircase to access the pedestrian bridge and connect to Bowness Park. Please note that the staircase is not fully accessible so people using wheelchairs, strollers or other mobility aids should find alternate routes.

Pathway users can expect heavy equipment and construction personnel in the area for the remainder of the project. Please look for detour and closure signage in the area.

December 20, 2019: WCRR South Project - Tree Clearing Notification

December 6, 2019: New Storm Water Pond - West Side Valley Ridge

On December 6th we were advised of tree and brush clearing in progress at the west end of VR, to the southwest of Valley Way Pointe, just north of the TCH. EllisDon's contractor is constructing a new storm water pond to be located southwest of the small existing one situated west of Valley Pointe Way. The new pond is to be 2-3 times the size of the existing pond and is needed to handle the additional storm water runoff from additional lanes of the TCH to be built as part of the WCRR. The TCH lanes south of Valley Pointe Way will be enlarged from 2 lanes to 4 lanes in each direction.

We emailed Alberta Transportation asking about this work and they have now uploaded a new page to their website explaining the scope and purpose of the new storm water pond. The images below are from AT's website.

November 20, 2019: Sound Report Uploaded to A.T.'s Website

AT contracted the acoustical engineering consultants, Patching and Associates, in 2018 to produce a sound report for the TCH around Valley Ridge. AT uploaded this report on Oct. 18,2019. This is the link where you may download Patching's 2018 report

October 31, 2019: Westbound TCH lane closures at Stoney Trail

October 30, 2019: Tower Crane Installation for twinning of Bow River bridge

October 25, 2019: VRCA Slides from Oct. 29, 2019 WCRR Community Meeting

Please read the important notice below regarding a community meeting to discuss construction concerns. This is a meeting for the VRCA to understand community resident concerns. City and Provincial officials are not participating in this meeting.

TO: ALL RESIDENTS OF VALLEY RIDGE

RE: COMMUNITY MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

This is to inform you the VRCA Planning Committee will be hosting a COMMUNITY MEETING re West Calgary Ring Road (WCRR) construction issues:

DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

TIME: 7:00 - 9:30 PM

LOCATION: VALLEY RIDGE GOLF COURSE (Valley Hall)

The primary focus of this community meeting is for those directly affected residents backing south (Valley Brook Circle & Valley Meadow Close) onto the Trans Canada Highway, east of the four-way stop and also those residents in the Valley Ridge Heights condominiums immediately adjacent to Valley Ridge Boulevard and the TCH west of the roundabout. These residents are those living in closest proximity to the intense construction activity now underway along the highway. So, we want to listen and compile their concerns regarding the loss of trees, landscaping, noise / sound wall, dust and any other issues of concern.

Of course other construction "hot spots" exist elsewhere at the east end of Valley Springs Road and for those residents on Valley Glen Heights that back east on to Stoney Trail where EllisDon's trailer park is located and for those on Valley Brook Circle that back east where a large storm pond is under construction just south of the emergency access road. Also, residents of The Lodge at Valley Ridge whose units back south onto the TCH and those residents to the west on Valley Ponds Crescent who back south on to the TCH are also affected by ongoing construction activity.

Unquestionably, WCRR construction activity affects our entire community so we want to ensure all residents know they are welcome to attend. By the time residents receive this announcement, everyone will also be aware of the two week closure of the northbound slip ramp into VR.

The VRCA's Planning Committee will be present to listen and gather community feedback. There will be other community meetings and while we won't have time next Tuesday to discuss every concern, we will have comment forms available (to be uploaded on our website) for residents to use and leave behind after the meeting so that we can compile concerns and develop a contact list for as many residents as possible, VRCA member or not.

Please contact me at: planning@vrca.community should you have any questions.

Grant,

Chair, Planning and Development Committee

October 25, 2019: Right lane closure - Eastbound TCH

October 22, 2019: Two week closure of VR Blvd NW northbound slip ramp

This closure means that all residential traffic bound for Valley Ridge will need to enter the roundabout together with traffic bound for Crestmont, and then take the first right exit onto northbound Valley Ridge Boulevard towards the four-way stop at VR Drive and VR Blvd.

October 2, 2019: New Detour Ramp EB TCH to NB Stoney Trail to Open on October 4, 2019 Until SPRING 2022

September 2019: Bow River Pathways Construction Notice

September 20, 2019: Traffic Changes on VR Blvd commencing Sept. 24, & through to August 1, 2020

September 19, 2019: Single Lane Closure on the TCH to occur on Sept. 20

September 10, 2019: Tree Removals Have Started

On September 9 Arbour Care removed the spruce trees and poplars from Areas 2 and 3 on the schematic shown in the Sept. 7 Community Meeting Summary article. By 9:30am, on September 10, the first two trees, shown below, at the far west end of Area 1 south of the rink and playing fields were removed. By noon approximately 18-20 poplars to the east were also down. We understand it may be several days before all of the targeted 60 poplars in Area 1 are removed.

September 7, 2019: Community Meeting Summary - Reduced Number of Tree Removals Still to Commence Sometime Week of September 9

AT held a community meeting at the Four Points Sheraton Calgary West the morning of Sept. 7, 2019 from 10am to 12 noon. We estimate approximately 60-70 people were in attendance. Valley Ridge residents asked many pertinent questions, and while many were visibly upset, everyone spoke well and passionately about the impact of the tree removals.

For background, the poplar trees were planted by the original developer of Valley Ridge, Barbican Properties, approximately 26 years ago in the early 1990s. Unfortunately, the trees were planted on the TransCanada Highway right-of-way (Transportation Utility Corridor, TUC) and as such the trees are the property of AT. This website contains more information on the purpose, use and planning of TUC's in Alberta.

Starting the week of Monday, September 9, AT will begin removing trees. AT would not comment nor promised that these were the only trees needed for removal, implying additional trees could be taken at some future point in time. However, a number of positive points did emerge during the meeting and are summarized at the bottom of this note.

Alberta Transportation refused to allow the VRCA to make any comments at the start of the meeting. Also, AT did not have any representatives from the contractor, EllisDon, at the meeting either. AT's general response to questions asking for changes or a deferral in the tree removal was that "it’s a Design-Build contract and cannot be changed".

The schematic below formed the basis of AT's presentation that lasted perhaps 20 minutes. (this image will be updated with an improved image as soon as possible). The schematic shows three areas, highlighted in bright blue, east and west of the roundabout targeted for tree removal. Area 1 is estimated to contain ~60 poplars south of the rink stretching east, part-way to the south of homes on Valley Brook Circle. Area 2 lies west of the roundabout and encompasses a grove of 4 poplars and 33 spruce trees targeted for removal. Area 3 lines the south side of the Valley Ridge Heights condominiums and encompasses 12-13 poplars. In total, we estimate between 75-80 poplar trees and 33 spruce trees will be removed from Areas 1, 2 and 3.

While in our opinion, the meeting could have been run more efficiently, below is a summary of several positive points that were tabled during the meeting:

• AT documented the issues of concern raised during the Q&A and said they would be reviewed with their supervisors.

• AT presented details showing the extent of tree removals required in Area 1 on the above schematic is greatly reduced from what we understood to be the case based on AT's initial announcement of August 29, 2019. AT stated that ~60 or 50% of the poplars at the east end south of Valley Brook Circle will not be removed commencing the week of September 9.

• A proposed sound barrier shown in yellow on the schematic, is situated south of all homes on Valley Meadow Crescent and extends east behind the first two homes at the west end of Valley Brook Circle. No details could be provided by AT regarding the design specifics of this proposed sound barrier.

• AT also stated they would investigate the possibility of saving some or all of the 33 mature spruce trees that need to be removed just west of the present roundabout near the Valley Ridge condominiums. On Sept. 10 we learned that none of the 33 spruce trees were able to be saved.

• In AT's initial Construction Notice, they stated they "approximately 40% of the trees would be 2.5m - 3m in height and the remainder 1m -1.5m in height". At the Sept. 7 meeting, AT indicated they would review the size of the replacement trees to be planted in place of any poplars that are removed.

• AT indicated that they had talked to EllisDon to ensure the trees would be properly removed and treated to help prevent suckering, one of the issues raised earlier by the VRCA Planning Committee.

• Per AT's Construction Notice, AT again committed that prior to any tree removals, environmental sweeps would be conducted to ensure no active bird nests are affected. We understand these sweeps occurred on Sept. 8-9,

• Last spring, AT advised they proactively moved 13 Douglas Fir trees from below the future location of the new, twinned Bow River bridge. AT advised at the meeting these were moved to a tree sanctuary for care and maintenance, and ultimate replanting after construction is complete.

AT's general response to many questions asking for changes or a deferral in the tree removal was that "its a design / build contract and cannot be changed". Design and build is a term describing a procurement route in which the main contractor is appointed to design and construct the works, as opposed to a traditional contract, where the client appoints consultants to design the development and then a contractor is appointed to construct the works. In contrast, it is our understanding the City of Calgary does not use design / build contracts.

MLA Demetrios Nicolaides and Jeremy Hexham, Manager, Calgary-Bow Constituency Office, were present and offered supportive comments during the meeting. Councillor Ward Sutherland, Ward 1 and his Chief of Staff, Ralph Smith were also present at the meeting.

September 5, 2019: Valley Ridge Community Meeting Announced for Sept. 7 re Tree Removals

The morning of Sept. 5 the VRCA's Planning Committee met with AT's Project Manager, West Calgary Ring Road regarding our request for a delay in tree removals along the south perimeter of Valley Ridge and for an opportunity for AT to meet with the community.

As a result, later that afternoon, Alberta Transportation confirmed to us there WILL NOT be any tree removals taking place on Friday, Sept. 6 as originally planned.

Further, as requested, AT advised arrangements have been made to hold a community meeting for VALLEY RIDGE residents to provide additional information. The VRCA Planning Committee and Board members will be in attendance to assist. All meeting venues in or adjacent to Valley Ridge were already booked so hence the location.

September 4, 2019: Alberta Transportation Issues Construction Notice re Bow River Pathway Construction

AT released the construction advisory shown below at 4:50 pm on September 4, 2019. Construction of a new pathway including a new staircase detour component will begin in early September and the entire pathway connection will need to be closed for about three weeks in late October / early November to enable AT to complete construction work. Details of this construction advisory and the schematic below is consistent with what AT provided the VRCA in late April and is described in further detail on the Pathways Information page under the WCRR Details section of this website: https://sites.google.com/s/1TLLyC0IABg-E2BqM8FZ9f_e6H8N2SFFS/p/11T0DXx0FqcjOyfh8vEy0-h87GSS8MuQA/edit

VRCA representatives are meeting with AT on Sept. 6 regarding the pathway construction project and we expect to post further details within a few days.

September 3, 2019 @ 4:15pm: Alberta Transportation places TEMPORARY HOLD on tree removals!

We learned of some great news late this afternoon from the manager of MLA Demetrios Nicolaides’ office, Jeremy Hexham.

AT's Chief of Staff contacted Mr. Hexham to confirm that AT has placed a TEMPORARY HOLD on any tree removals until the contractor, EllisDon, organizes a consultation with the community. Thank you to AT for listening to the Public's concerns.

No details are yet available on what form this consultation will take or when it will occur. This shows that community activism can indeed make a difference. However it's not over yet. We look forward to discussions with the contractor regarding the fate of these important trees not only to the environment but to our community.

We'll continue to keep community residents updated via this website and the VRCA's FaceBook page.

Great job by the residents of Valley Ridge!!

We wish to sincerely thank our MLA for Calgary-Bow, the Hon. Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister for Advanced Education and Dr. Jeremy Hexham, Manager, Calgary-Bow Constituency Office for their tremendous support to Valley Ridge in achieving this milestone!

September 1, 2019: VRCA email to AT requesting immediate STOP to tree removals and a time out for community consultation

From: Grant Knowles <grantknowles@shaw.ca>

Date: Sun, Sep 1, 2019 at 5:08 PM

Subject: VALLEY RIDGE REQUESTING STOPPAGE TO TREE REMOVAL

To: Shane Delorey <Shane.Delorey@gov.ab.ca>

CC: Calgary Bow <Calgary.Bow@assembly.ab.ca>, <demetrios.nicolaides@assembly.ab.ca>, <Ward.Sutherland@calgary.ca>, CAWard1 - Ralph Smith <caward1@calgary.ca>, Subir Choudhury <Subir.Choudhury@gov.ab.ca>, <president@vrca.community>, VRCA Vice President <vicepresident@vrca.community>, Onno DeVries <onnodev@shaw.ca>

Shane,

As project Manager, we request you put an immediate STOP to the tree removal plan and provide a timeout to properly engage and discuss this issue further.

We find the recent tactics to remove the trees, as per the notice sent late last Thursday just before a long weekend, quite appalling. The community entrance way has been decimated of mature trees as part of the construction—residents have a perception that perhaps in fact not all these trees actually needed to be removed with some removed for the contractor's convenience.

I don’t think AT fully appreciates that residents near the project feel like they are in a war zone with all the noise, dust and vibration. We appreciate that the work has to be done but for most residents there appears to be little concern or empathy on the part of AT for the negative impacts it is causing. The latest approach to advise us of the tree removal plan late in the day, with no opportunity for discussion, just before a long weekend further reinforces this for residents.

Regarding the trees, AT has dropped the ball with respect to proper community engagement. We have residents contacting news media outlets because there has been no engagement. The requested timeout will allow both the community and AT to better appreciate the details around this very sensitive issue, such as future sound attenuation, remediation plans, possible alternative pipe locations and a proper removal process that kills the root systems to prevent future suckering for adjacent residents.

We look forward to your positive and immediate response to our request and stand ready to meet with you at your convenience.

With best regards,

Grant

Grant Knowles

Director, Community Planning & Development, VRCA

Cell: 587-899-6678

Email: planning@vrca.community

cc. Hon. Demetrios Nicolaides, MLA Calgary-Bow & Minister for Advanced Education

Councillor Ward Sutherland, Ward 1

Subir Choudhury, Project Manager, Alberta Transportation

Dave McCarrel, President, Valley Ridge Community Association

Onno DeVries, Member, Valley Ridge Community Association Planning Committee

August 29, 2019: AT's email & VRCA's response to announcement of tree removals starting Sept. 3, 2019

From: VRCA Planning Director <planning@vrca.community>

Date: Thu, Aug 29, 2019 at 8:59 PM

Subject: Re: West Calgary Ring Road - upcoming utility work and tree removals

To: Erin Russell <erin@russellpr.ca>

CC: CAWard1 - Ralph Smith <caward1@calgary.ca>, Onno Devries <onnodev@shaw.ca>, Shane De Lorey <Shane.Delorey@gov.ab.ca>, Subir Choudhury <Subir.Choudhury@gov.ab.ca>, Sutherland, Ward <Ward.Sutherland@calgary.ca>, VRCA President <david.mccarrel@shaw.ca>, VRCA Vice President <vicepresident@vrca.community>, demetrios.nicolaides@assembly.ab.ca <demetrios.nicolaides@assembly.ab.ca>

Erin,

AT needs to understand this is a very, very serious matter.

Please advise me ASAP whether AT has done a letter drop advising of the tree removal to ALL impacted residents backing onto the TCH and Stoney Trail?

For this incident, notification of affected residents, given the negative impact, is most definitely the primary responsibility of AT, NOT just the the Valley Ridge Community Association.

We strongly suspect many of the affected residents will react very negatively to this news. AT has provided virtually no notice of this work and in my view this is unacceptable.

Grant Knowles

Director, Community Planning and Development, VRCA

cc. Demetrios Nicolaides, MLA Calgary-Bow

On Thu, Aug 29, 2019 at 3:16 PM Erin Russell <erin@russellpr.ca> wrote:

Hi there,

I’m writing on behalf of the West Calgary Ring Road project. I’m the communications consultant working with Alberta Transportation and the consulting team. I wanted to let you know that deep utility installation in the areas east and west of Valley Ridge Blvd NW is starting next week and is going to require some tree removals. I’ve attached the construction notice and we will send an email to the project distribution list later this afternoon. Do you mind distributing through whatever channels you deem appropriate as well?

The utility work will involve open excavations and the public is reminded to stay out of the active construction area.

Please let me know if you have any questions or want to discuss further.

hanks,

Erin

Erin Russell

Alberta Transportation issued a Construction Advisory in late afternoon of Thursday, August 29. Commencing the week of September 3, AT plans on removing many / some of the dozens of poplar trees in the Transportation Utility Corridor (TUC) bordering the rear property line of homes on Valley Meadow Garden & Valley Brook Circle NW backing on to the Trans Canada Highway. In addition, numerous poplar trees situated just west of Valley Ridge Boulevard, south of Valley Ridge Drive, adjacent to the Valley Ridge Heights condominiums will also be removed. The GoogleEarth image below shows both groupings of poplar trees outlined in a white line, and is consistent with AT's construction advisory shown below this image.

In both cases AT's stated reason for the tree removals is to enable the installation of utility infrastructure withing the TUC. AT has stated that all trees removed will be replaced with young saplings. This activity is indeed extremely unfortunate. The loss of these poplar trees will not only be a significant loss for nearby homes but for the entire community of Valley Ridge. We have asked AT what alternative actions other than the removal of dozens of trees were considered and / or assessed. As a result of the VRCA email to AT expressing the community's concerns, AT has agreed to do a house-to-house mail drop with letter notification of the tree removals to all affected homes on August 30.

Should residents wish to contact Alberta Transportation regarding this matter, please contact:

Mr. Subir Choudhury, P.Eng., Project Manager, Alberta Transportation, Major Capital Projects Branch, Gov't of Alberta

Tel. 403-297-3845 subir.choudhury@gov.ab.ca

August 29, 2019: Tree removals and utility work to commence the week of September 3, 2019

Alberta Transportation issued a Construction Advisory in late afternoon of Thursday, August 29. Commencing the week of September 3, AT plans on removing many / some of the dozens of poplar trees in the Transportation Utility Corridor (TUC) bordering the rear property line of homes on Valley Meadow Garden & Valley Brook Circle NW backing on to the Trans Canada Highway. In addition, numerous poplar trees situated just west of Valley Ridge Boulevard, south of Valley Ridge Drive, adjacent to the Valley Ridge Heights condominiums will also be removed. The GoogleEarth image below shows both groupings of poplar trees outlined in a white line, and is consistent with AT's construction advisory shown below this image.

In both cases AT's stated reason for the tree removals is to enable the installation of utility infrastructure withing the TUC. AT has stated that all trees removed will be replaced with young saplings. This activity is indeed extremely unfortunate. The loss of these poplar trees will not only be a significant loss for nearby homes but for the entire community of Valley Ridge. We have asked AT what alternative actions other than the removal of dozens of trees were considered and / or assessed. As a result of the VRCA email to AT expressing the community's concerns, AT has agreed to do a house-to-house mail drop with letter notification of the tree removals to all affected homes on August 30.

Should residents wish to contact Alberta Transportation regarding this matter, please contact:

Mr. Subir Choudhury, P.Eng., Project Manager, Alberta Transportation, Major Capital Projects Branch, Gov't of Alberta

Tel. 403-297-3845 subir.choudhury@gov.ab.ca

August 5, 2019: Two, WCRR articles of interest in the Aug. 2019 Valley Breeze.

The August 2019 issue of the Valley Breeze contains two ring road updates, one by the VRCA's PC and the second by Alberta Transportation. The VRCA PC has written a third article updating the status of a City of Calgary sewer line project that is now delayed:

1. Ring Road Construction Impact on Valley Ridge – An Update (By: VRCA PC)

2. West Calgary Ring Road: Project Update (By: Alberta Transportation)

3. "New Sanitary Sewer Line?" (By: VRCA PC)

July 18, 2019: Dump Trucks Again Observed in Valley Ridge

During the week of July 15, some construction traffic was observed by residents using the bus turnaround at the east end of Valley Springs Road as a staging point for accessing the TCH through the community.

The VRCA registered our concerns on behalf of residents with Alberta Transportation. AT has assured us that this a temporary situation that will remedy itself as soon as the contractor finishes constructing a new entrance to their worksite from southbound Stoney Trail. Construction traffic has been directed that whenever possible not to short-cut through the community:

The current construction on the east side of VR and along the west side of Stoney Trail is related to the widening of the future Stoney Trail but also to construct a temporary access road from Stoney Trail into the construction area/administration site. Once the temporary access is completed it is anticipated that the VR emergency access road will again be locked and will not be used for construction purposes/access.

AT has asked us to request residents to please write down and or take pictures of any short-cutting vehicles to obtain identifying information such as company decals, license plates etc. We ask that residents please email this information to planning@vrca.community and we will ensure it is passed on immediately to Alberta Transportation.

AT has promised a construction schedule update for Valley Ridge by early August. We will continue to update this website as we learn more information.

July 16, 2019: Construction Notice: PILE DRIVING

Residents of east Valley Ridge backing south onto the TCH and backing onto Stoney Trail south-bound received a notification from AT of Pile driving work is expected to commence on or about July 25 stating the work will take approximately two months two months to complete. This bridge is the first of approximately 20 new bridges to be constructed as part of the new Stoney Trail / Valley Ridge Blvd interchanges as part of the WCRR project. The Google Earth image below highlights the location of the new bridge overpass.

This is the link to the City of Calgary's Bylaws related to noise. The bylaw states that "in Calgary, all residents have the right to not be disturbed by noise. Sound is restricted to certain levels during the daytime and at night". This bylaw means contractors may operate between the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9am to 10pm on Sunday and holidays.

July 15, 2019: Construction North & South of the Bow River (Maps #1 & #2)

AT's "Bow River Bridge-Component 1" image highlights the future position of the twinned Bow River Bridge (red) to be constructed on the west side of the existing bridge and associated new pavement (yellow) north and south of the Bow River.

AT's "NW Stoney Trail from Crowchild Trail to Scenic Acres Link-Component 2" image, highlights work in progress that involves widening of two kilometres of Stoney Trail by adding portions of the collector lane (yellow) and a new bridge structure (red) between Crowchild Trail and Scenic Acres Link.

We have added labels to show key roads and features on both images.

For more details please visit AT's WCRR project website.

June 14, 2019: EllisDon Fined $5K for Careless Removal of Birdhouses

Careless removal of a dozen birdhouses by EllisDon workers from an old fence line within the WCRR construction zone east of Valley Ridge has resulted in Alberta Transportation levying a $5,000 against the company.

June 6, 2019: WCRR Public Information Sessions Announced for June 12 and June 15

Links to:

Display Boards (June 12 & 15) WCRR Plans & Sections (June 12 &15)

Alberta Transportation will be hosting two public information sessions on the West Calgary Ring Road:

#1: Wed., June 12, 2019: 5:30 - 8:00 pm: Crestmont Hall, 12400 Crestmont Blvd SW

#2: Sat., June 15, 2019: 9:30am -Noon: Calgary French & Int'l School, 700-77th St. SW

MAY 21, 2019: City of Calgary's West View ASP Information Session Announcement

The third and final, public information session for the West View Area Structure Plan will be held on:

June 18, 2019 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at the Crestmont Hall

Visit the City of Calgary's West View ASP website for further information about the future community to be located immediately west of Valley Ridge and Crestmont. Display boards from the first two information sessions held in 2018 are available for download.

The City's Planning and Development department expects the new community to have an ultimate population of 10,000 - 11,000 people living in 3,700 -3,800 dwelling units.

MAY 10, 2019: CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY #02: West Bow River Bridge Twinning

Cast-in-Place Concrete Piles for Pier 3 and Pier 4 on the North Side of the Bow River

On Friday, May 10, the VRCA received notification of Construction Advisory #02.

MAY 7, 2019: CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY #01: West Bow River Bridge Twinning

Excavation & Transport of Material from the Proposed Dry Pond Site Immediately east of Valley Ridge

APRIL 16, 2019: CONSTRUCTION UPDATE - VALLEY SPRINGS ROAD & VALLEY RIDGE DRIVE

Residents have been concerned regarding construction activity in the community related to a WCRR work site located northeast of the bus turnaround at the east end of Valley Springs Road. As part of WCRR construction activities, AT's contractor for the bridge twinning project, AECON, has dug a long trench, three to four feet deep, at the site. This location is shown in the yellow rectangle in the image below.

On April 13 it tandem dump trucks began entering EllisDon's trailer site off southbound Stoney Trail via the emergency road access. Once loaded, these tandem dump trucks were then exiting the work site via Valley Springs Road west bound to VR Drive then onto the TCH. Many residents were concerned for safety concerns about the presence of these large trucks short-cutting through the community.

MARCH 22, 2019: City of Calgary Sanitary Sewer Line Installation Project

PROJECT DETAILS

•City of Calgary has confirmed a new project involving installation of a large, sanitary sewer line along the TCH later this spring

•1.5m (internal diameter) sanitary sewer line crossing beneath Valley Ridge Blvd near the roundabout

TIMING

•Project to proceed, mid to late April, before AT’s contractor, EllisDon, commences interchange work for the WCRR

POTENTIAL IMPACT

•Residents should expect some detours, possible access restrictions and some dust

FURTHER INFORMATION – CITY OF CALGARY WATER SERVICES

•City of Calgary's Water Services Department are expect to further inform the community and residents by late April

http://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pages/construction-projects/Construction-Upgrades-and-Repairs-overview.aspx

March 19, 2019: NDP Calls Provincial Election for April 16, 2019

Premier Notley calls a Provincial election for April 16, 2019.

March 6, 2019: EllisDon and FlatIron-Aecon Announced as Contractors for 2 of 3 WCRR Projects

Aecon, EllisDon and Flatiron win major contracts for work on Calgary's ring road

March 5, 2019: WCRR Contracts Announced

July 5, 2018: West Calgary Ring Road Construction to Commence in Spring 2019

Premier Notley and Transportation Minister Brian Mason announced plans to commence construction on the West Calgary Ring Road in 2019.

July 5, 2018: AB Gov't Announces WCRR Construction to Start in 2019

Bridge work is ongoing on both the Valley Ridge Blvd NW / Trans-Canada Highway and Stoney Trail / Trans-Canada Highway interchanges.

(2) Ongoing and Upcoming Construction: During the week of Feb. 24, construction continues on the two bridge piers on the north side of the river and retaining wall construction on the south side gets underway.