CITY SHELVES PLAN FOR CAMP HOUSING
City hall has shelved plans for pop-up trailer camps for displaced Calgarians, since only 137 residents are still in post-flood emergency housing and the number is dropping quickly.
In addition to a trailer neighbourhood that’s in the works for flood-affected High River residents, Calgary had used emergency zoning powers to permit up to three 300-person neighbourhoods on vacant northwest and southwest lands for city dwellers forced out of their homes for prolonged periods.
But many damaged apartment buildings have reopened in weeks after June’s disaster, rather than months. And many other displaced Calgarians have found their own temporary lodgings.
The 137 people who remain in Calgary’s short-term relief accommodations — at the University of Calgary and Ambrose University College — will be found other existing homes as they need them, recovery director Gord Stewart said.
This has put the trailer developments on hold.
“Those ones are being held in abeyance at this time, because we don’t think that at this point we see a need for it,” Stewart told reporters Wednesday.
But the city will keep that option at the ready, in case the larger temporary neighbourhoods do become necessary later in this lengthy recovery time.
“We’re ready, but we’re not moving,” he said.
About one-third of those 137 Calgarians are East Village seniors staying at Ambrose college. The agency serving as their landlord plans to find other homes for them by week’s end.
The others are living in University of Calgary residences, forced out of basement suites or other flood-damaged properties throughout Calgary. Officials there expect the city and agencies to find other homes for those displaced residents by the end of July so the school can prepare for students’ return.
Meanwhile, Stewart has no update on the $256.6-million early estimate for repair costs to city infrastructure, other than to say it will get higher. Mayor Naheed Nenshi this week predicted the tab will double or triple, but the newly minted recovery director was loath to say the same.
“The engineers don’t guess. When we have numbers, we’ll provide those to (you),” Stewart said.
He also reiterated city comments that the recovery’s impact on other major construction projects — such as roads and recreation centres — is uncertain.
The city is watching the prices for electrical and mechanical trades rise in the post-disaster stage.
“That could affect future prices, and then as we’re doing our budgeting process, evaluate whether this is the right time to construct something or whether we delay it,” Stewart said.