Residents upset with new Highland Park plan

Six months after Calgary city council voted to delay a public hearing on a controversial pitch to build condo towers on a former northwest golf course, community members are unhappy with the developer’s revised plans.

Council will hold a public hearing Monday for the amended proposal from Vancouver-based developer Maple Project Inc. to build a large mixed-use development on the former 50-acre Highland Park golf course featuring 1,000 to 2,070 residential units and retail space.

The redevelopment would be located close to future Green Line LRT stations and many community members have concerns about a development slated to be the city’s next transit- oriented urban village.

“Highland Park is in favour of development of the golf course and Highland Park is in favour of the north-central LRT,” said Elise Bieche, the president of the Highland Park Community Association.

“We are opposed to the current plan the developer has brought forth. We’re disappointed that it’s not a better reflection of a transitoriented development.”

In July, after three votes, council decided to delay a public hearing on the project to allow for more consultation between the city, applicant and community, and better co-ordination with the Green Line project.

Since July, the city says four engagement sessions — with the community association, applicant and city staff — took place, along with a multi-day workshop on the proposed 40th Avenue Green Line LRT station and one public information session.

But countless community members who’ve penned letters to council say despite revisions to the proposal — including more green space, reducing two 18-storey towers to eight storeys and adding housing diversity via a townhouse site — problems remain.

“We’re frustrated there hasn’t been more and better movement on this file in six months,” Bieche said, noting residents’ voices haven’t been heard.

“The planning department is unbelievably challenging to work alongside. The system is broken and this is an indication of how broken the system is.”

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said Thursday while he hadn’t had a chance to look at the 13 recommendations on the project going to council on Monday, he knows compromises have taken place on both sides.

“I don’t know if there’s a solution that will make everybody happy, but I know that there is a plan, which is better than what we would have had,” Nenshi explained.

The mayor said any redevelopment has to make the community better.

“This is not a community that is NIMBY, it’s not a community that is unreasonable in any way, nor do I think the applicant is being unreasonable,” he said.

Area Coun. Sean Chu said he’s been trying to work with all parties on “the best compromise,” but whether or not the plan has improved since July depends on who you ask.

It’s expected many residents will trek to city council to speak at Monday’s public hearing.