Wards 5 to 8 are highlighted in our profile series
Diverse corner of city feels forgotten, says community association president
Sue Clark likes to gauge the demographics of the northeast neighbourhood she’s called home for 15 years every Halloween, when trick-or-treaters come to her door.
“The first few years, we ate the candy,” Clark said with a laugh.
Last Halloween? Nearly 200 costumed kids visited her Saddle Ridge home.
“Right now we’re going through an influx of new and young families coming in, which is great to see,” said Clark, the president of the Saddle Ridge Community Association.
The nearly 50-year-old neighbourhood added 4,509 residents between 2013 and 2017 and as it and other nearby neighbourhoods grow, Clark said the need for amenities — everything from schools, to roads in and out of neighbourhoods, benches and even restaurants — is a pressing issue in Ward 5.
“There is a feeling that we are the forgotten ones,” said Clark.
Candidates running for Ward 5 councillor agree, with the six men vying for a spot at the council table all stating they’ve heard at the doors citizens in the ward want more amenities and more attention from city hall.
“I hear from people, ‘We pay the same taxes, we’re the same city, but we’re considered (second-class) people,’” said 48-year-old Preet Baidwan, a small businessman and father of two running for area councillor.
Calgary’s ward boundary rewrite means Ward 5 is now home to a mix of such well-established communities as Saddle Ridge and Taradale, new neighbourhoods like Cornerstone and Cityscape, and some of Calgary’s fastest growing communities including SkyView Ranch and Redstone.
The new boundaries have pushed longtime Ward 5 Coun. Ray Jones to run in Ward 10, where several of the communities he’s represented for 24 years have moved, and left the race for Ward 5 councillor with no incumbent.
“Whoever gets in as councillor has to remember how diverse this ward is,” said Clark.
All five candidates emphasized how multicultural the area is.
Entrepreneur George Chahal is one of the men vying for the open council seat, 10 years after he lost to Coun. Jim Stevenson in Ward 3 by just 33 votes in the 2007 election.
“We have a lot of new development coming on stream that needs to be managed,” said Chahal, 42.
“There’s not a lot of amenities in those communities as they’re developing out. It’s hard for people to get around. If you don’t own a car it’s really hard to get to a grocery store or rec centre.”
Candidate Tudor Dinca, whose family moved to northeast Calgary from Romania in 2001, said residents in the ward’s more established communities on the south side feel rejuvenation and maintenance are needed, while those in the ward’s newer communities just want basic services.
“The city can’t put the cart before the horse,” said 29-year-old Dinca. “There shouldn’t be new neighbourhoods built if you don’t know you’re going to have proper funding for … schools, community centres, proper public transportation.”
Aryan Sadat, a 34-year-old who works at a law firm and is vying for the council seat, said he’s heard from residents that Ward 5 has been neglected and he believes the area has issues with traffic and crime.
“We’re not getting the same infrastructure as any other wards,” said Sadat, pointing to a need for additional recreation facilities including a cricket pitch and improved snow clearing.
Calgary Transit bus driver and Ward 5 candidate Hirde Jassal said the first thing he hears at doorsteps is complaints about “a big communication gap between the residents (of Ward 5) and the city council.”
Candidate Balraj Nijjar agreed and said if he wins the Ward 5 seat, he would host open houses with residents and have a satellite office at Genesis Centre for a few hours every week.
“(Residents) want the councillor to be more engaged with the community,” said the 41-year-old City of Calgary employee.