What Will Brentwood Look Like in the Next 60 Years?
Submitted by Melanie Swailes on behalf of the Development and Transportation Committee
Last month’s column looked back at the first 60 years since the Brentwood Community Association (BCA) was formed. What will Brentwood look like 60 years from now? Most of us probably won’t be around to see it then, and we can’t really imagine how it might look, just as we couldn’t have predicted some of the changes we have already seen. Take houses, for example: none of the original Brentwood houses were wired in for computers or multiple (colour!) TV sets, and phones were landlines, not cell phones. Houses are being redeveloped into more open layouts, more square footage, and double garages instead of singles. Those things changed over time in response to technology and consumer preferences or demand.
In the 1960s, there was no LRT, no surrounding high-rise buildings, and no overpass interchanges at Charleswood and Brisebois to accommodate the LRT tracks running up Crowchild Trail. Northland Mall continues to evolve and change. We experience all those changes around us, but often they happen gradually so we barely notice them.
However, some changes can have a more immediate and direct impact on us, such as proposed changes to the Land Use Bylaws which would allow for more building types, such as townhouses or multi-plex buildings. You can see examples of new building types by driving along 19 Street between Confederation Park and 16 Avenue: what were once “single family” homes are being replaced by townhouses (some with basement suites) or other multi-unit buildings.
Why are these housing forms being built? Why do communities change? One factor is that family sizes have decreased since the 1960s. New families moving in tend to have fewer children, which would lead to a decline in the community population over time. Another factor is the type of dwelling unit: people who are single, widowed, or who are empty nesters may wish to downsize or look for a different type of home. In addition, ideas around “sprawl” (the footprint of the city), density, environmental issues, and transportation options have changed over time.
Two overall plans provide policy and direction to guide decision-making in Calgary: the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and the Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP). In 2009, the City of Calgary approved a new MDP which set a very ambitious target that 50% of all population growth from 2009 until 2069 would be in older established communities, called the Developed Area. The City has set a mid-term target of about 33% of this cumulative population growth in established communities by 2039.
All of those factors set the stage for future changes. The challenge for communities is how to adapt and change with the times yet retain the desirable features of our community. The missing piece is you, the residents. The community has and will change, with or without your involvement and input.
If you think that your voice doesn’t matter, then realize that silence is taken as agreement. If you don’t provide your opinions, then realize that others will gladly step in, including developers, investors, and City Planning, and their visions may not align with yours.
How to start? By learning as much as you can about the development process so that when there is a proposed change, you have a solid understanding and background. Start at www.calgary.ca and look into some of the following:
- Subscribe to updates from the Planning Department. Enter “dispatch” into the search bar, then sign up on the link. This will keep you informed about planning matters or changes.
- Look up the MDP or Local Area Plans by typing those keywords into the search. This will provide some background into the documents that are guiding redevelopment in other communities.
- Planning and Development resource library has links for Planning Policies and other resources. A great starting point is https://www.calgary.ca/planning/publications.html.
- At the top of the page, go to “Engage” to see City-wide projects which are open for input.
There are many opinions about how or where densification is most appropriate or how sensitive it should be to the existing community. There are no right or wrong answers, and yet intuitively each of us recognizes that some redevelopments simply seem to work better than others. It’s important to understand potential future changes because at the end of the day, each resident is an “expert” on their own neighbourhood, and their voice deserves to be heard.
Please consider joining your Community Association. It’s important for the BCA to represent as many residents as possible. It’s very difficult to represent residents if we can’t easily communicate with you. Memberships are sold on a calendar year from May 1 to April 30. Membership fees are $12.50 per individual adult, $25 per senior couple, and $35 per family. Contact the BCA at 403-284-3477, email to [email protected], or go to www.brentwoodcommunity.com to sign up and find out more about how your membership helps our community.
If you are interested in community planning and redevelopment issues, we welcome new members to join us. The Development and Transportation Committee (DTC) meets at 7:00 pm on the first Monday of every month in the Sportsplex Boardroom. Contact the BCA for more information at [email protected] or at 403-284-3477.
