Calgary's 30 year Plan Phase 3

The City of Calgary is asking for feedback on phase 3 by July 24th for the 30-year municipal development plan. This plan helps us consider how our city will look when we reach about 2.1 million people in 2051. 

To have your say, visit this link. 

To view our vision, visit our PDF, which includes quotes about what kind of place we would like to live in by 2051. 

Here is what we said: 

Members of the Disability Action Hall looked at Calgary’s 30-year plan's three goals (People, environment, and economy) but found the plan document too long and overwhelming. We found that the top nine priorities (found on page 27) overlapped with our vision of the future.

Below are statements of what kind of city we would like to live in when we are 2 million people in 2051, with the relevant priorities identified.

 

Overall, the plan’s priorities left us concerned, given that many of us will be seniors at that time, about the accessibility of our city and connecting with people and places we care about. While a single-family home may be a design of the past, we are concerned about the social isolation we may all feel from being in the current design of high towers and townhomes far away from good sources of food, medical care, support, friends, nature and transit. We want to be able to visit our friends who may live across the city, and having an excellent public transit system is a part of that solution, as it will be challenging for us to operate a car safely in a high-density city.

 

In summary, we all agreed on the following statement:

 

“More safe, accessible, affordable housing near transit and services (complete communities building around transit).” Kathleen (Priority 1, 3, 4 and 7)

 

 

We want to live in places full of nature, not necessarily concrete towers with poor air quality and disconnected from clean water sources. When we set out to build high-quality density, higher-density housing will also require a two-to-three-bedroom home to offset the costs of ownership and a place for our caregivers and family members to share accommodation. It is not realistic for many of us to own a home, and rental properties need to consider multi-generational members living together to help us live safely and as independently as we can.

 

“Housing needs to feel like a home, not transitional housing; it has gardens and community rooms, accessible homes with nursing staff nearby, and you are in your own home.”  – Bruce (Priority 7 and 8)

 

One of our Hall members who has been on holiday in an intentional community known as Spring Creek said that is where they see themselves living as seniors…

 

“Communities with housing community built around centers. I really like staying at the condo in Canmore’s Spring Creek. There is a place for community. It is nice, with many enjoyable pathways and walkways. It is like a vacation, yet many basic needs stores are nearby. I want to live there. In present-day Calgary, the Co-Op and Safeway are not walkable in Crescent Heights. It is important to have access to Calgary Transit. Having hours that reflect my desire to enjoy arts and culture is critical. For instance, Calgary Transit Access will not take me to the Arts Commons after 8 pm. I also want to be able to buy my low-income transit pass at the store of my choice versus outing myself as a person on a fixed income at the leisure center. Dignity is important.” – Mary (Priority 4, 7, 8 and 9)

 

Sometimes, it is an excellent money-saving idea to limit where public transit drops off people, but it also reduces safety for people who rely on Calgary Transit Access. Welcoming street furniture helps create safety. We need to increase the transportation drop-off points at community hubs, especially making it easy to get to medical services and pharmacies. We also need to have a place to wait that is clean, dry, and safe.

 

“We need access to medical services in our communities.  I want Calgary Transit Access to drop me off and other clients at the door of their choice. Places should have benches for people to wait for their transit and weather-protected accessible shelters. They took away the benches at Marlborough Mall at the Pharmacy. It doesn’t make sense to get my prescription and walk very far. We need to expand the door choices for Calgary Transit Access; for now, Calgary Transit only drops off at Marlborough Walmart. I like to wait at the stores that are closer to get to, not just one drop off point that is congested and known as the busiest Walmart in Canada.” - Kavin (Priority 1,3, 4, and 5)

 

“Our City is so darn big that other than having more Max bus Routes, not just going downtown but to many parts (I can get to Edmonton faster than to a meeting), Calgary Transit should be going everywhere in the City and also have stronger inter-city provincial transit partnerships to live, work, and play in surrounding communities.” – Reggie (Priority 1,4 and 5)

 

“We need better transit to outlying areas and more Max Routes (rapid transit).”- Brad (Priority 1, 4 and 5)

 

One of our members talked about visiting a local pub. People with disabilities would like nightlife and to be greeted warmly by restaurant workers and owners. One person described how they felt more in the way than a customer. To improve our economy, we must provide greater education and financial support for businesses to become more accessible and aligned with the incoming ‘Alberta Accessibility Act.’

“We should have more accessible restaurants and bathrooms, welcoming businesses that treat people with dignity, not like you are in the way.”  - Alison (Priority 3, 8 and 9)

 

Calgary is a winter City. In present-day Calgary, just a few inches of heavy rain and snow may stop a person's ability to get outside altogether. We need a substantial investment in snow clearing and better construction detour plans that ensure people do not have to use the road. Wide bike paths would accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and people who use high-powered wheelchairs to get around. Some sidewalks are far too narrow to allow for multi-modal use; we are as important as a car and need a city designed for pedestrians with wayfinding features to get to the store and park all year. Our mixed industrial and residential areas are overlooked, yet they are close to the LRT; improving these areas for pedestrians will help the economy as people want to work in pedestrian-friendly industrial parks with plenty of green space and bike paths.

 

“We need for our city to be accessible all year, with snow clearing, great sidewalks/bike lanes, and curb cuts, even in industrial areas near transit. If a bus goes by, there better be a bike lane or accessible sidewalk, and the snow shovelled from sidewalks and wind rows.” – Colleen (Priority 3, 4 and 5)