What Makes A Neighbourhood?
Dear Brentwoodians,
We hear a lot about the “character” of a neighbourhood, especially when changes are coming that propose to alter the way we view the place we have chosen to call home. The term comes up when neighbours and community associations review local development applications, and it is getting a lot of attention now as the City prepares the new “Guidebook for Great Communities”, which as Melanie Swailes has detailed in past Planning and Development columns, will inform what kinds of developments are allowed or encouraged in neighbourhoods across Calgary.
This is always a fraught issue, as new developments can have a huge impact, both emotionally, in terms of the way we feel about the place where we live, and practically, by having an impact on the future value of our home, which for almost all of us is the largest investment we own. It is a nightmare scenario for many to envision a looming four-plex being erected on a quiet street, blocking views and casting shadows. There are also real concerns about parking and rentals that attract more transient tenants who may not exhibit respect for neighbours.
Concerns that city planners are not alert to the micro-scenarios that can play out around a single redevelopment or secondary suite conversion are justified – after all, it is the people who live there who know the area best. Of course, the concerns of neighbours can also be overstated due to the aforementioned emotional nature of the issue, and they may not have the broader perspective that an impartial outsider can have.
For many of us, Brentwood’s character is a middle-class area full of mid-century bungalows and split-levels on spacious lots, well set back from the road to afford privacy and the greenspace mentioned in this issue. Never mind the set of condos that are the most recognizable landmark in our community or the small apartment buildings along Brentwood Boulevard and Blakiston Road, or the large townhome complex. This is a diverse community too, with young families, empty-nesters, and single professionals living alongside new immigrants, students, and seniors who bought these houses when they were new.
Just like there is no single right way to be and live in our community, there is no single template for building or renovating homes. To a large degree, it is up to the property owner, but they should respect not only the letter, but the spirit of laws surrounding parking, noise, garbage – if only to stay on good terms with the neighbours. Communication, as always, is key!
Photo Contest
The Bugle is looking for Brentwood’s best amateur photographers to provide cover images each month. If you have a great snap of our neighbourhood saved on your phone or posted on your social media feed, send it in for a chance to be featured on the cover of an upcoming issue! Photos must be 300 DPI or higher (i.e., from a newer model phone or good digital camera), 2400 x 1600 pixels minimum size, and portrait orientation. If submitting pictures of minors, please make sure that you have direct, express permission to submit the picture from a parent or guardian. Send your photos, or any questions, to [email protected].
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Jucker, editor
Brentwood Bugle
