New school not appropriate for Scenic Acres

Re: “MLA accused of interference in school project,” July 16.

As a longtime resident of Scenic Acres, and frequent user of Scenic Acres Park, my family and I, along with our neighbours, are upset at the decision to build a new school on the site, and efforts to paint us with the NIMBY brush.

Scenic Acres has two schools already, which were welcomed by residents when constructed. Our only large park will be destroyed to serve 400 students, only seven of whom reside in the neighbourhood.

There will also be a huge increase in the volume of traffic on roads not designed for such. Both our municipal and provincial governments bear responsibility for this mess. Provincially, funding was announced without community consultation.

Surely, a mature community has a right to assume that its primary park space, developed over 30 years, isn’t going to be drastically changed without consultation, especially when the change is not designed to serve that community.

The province should hold the funding for this school until a more appropriate and acceptable site is selected.

All Calgarians should be concerned. If this kind of reckless development is allowed to happen in Scenic Acres, your community could be next.

Joanne Hodson, Calgary

Gavin Young/Calgary Herald A petition sign stands in Scenic Acres Park, where a francophone school is to be built. Reader says the school is not a good fit for the site.