Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday, November 21. At the time of writing, it is before the AGM so we cannot report on what happened until the January newsletter. However, our AGM’s are always great as we celebrate our accomplishments and the people who help make them happen. We thank everyone who helped make the last year so successful.
Time to Renew your Membership
In 2013 we introduced the new plastic membership card. We do not reissue new cards for renewals but provide a new expiry date sticker. You can use your card for the Membership Affinity Program through which you can get discounts from local merchants. Details on this program are elsewhere in this newsletter. There also is a membership form in this newsletter which you can use to renew your membership or buy your new membership. Thank you for your continued support.
Fewer Community Activities in December
December is a busy time for most people with many extra social activities going on, so we hold fewer activities in December. One event happening in December is our regular Jazz event on Wednesday, December 5. We have a very large jazz group (Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble) for the size of our historic venue. This will be your holiday musical treat.
The second event is our monthly Potluck on Sunday, December 9. There will be lots of delectable food. We hope you will join us. Bring your family and friends. All are welcome including children.
Proposed Development at 25th Avenue and 5th Street SW
Although we do not yet know when the public hearing on this matter will be held, this continues to be a very active file for us. Since the beginning of this process, the community association has made it clear that we do not support this land use change to accommodate a building that would be three times as high as allowed under the current land use. However, we also have made it clear that we are not against the proposed use – seniors living.
In November (after this column is submitted), we met with Even Woolley, Councillor for Ward 8 to discuss this matter. We will have communicated our concerns about the proposed height of this development. We also will have explored his perspective on this matter. We will let you know how that meeting went.
Ultimately there will be a Public Hearing of City Council to approve or not to approve the Land Use change that is required in order for what is proposed to be built. This means this will be a political decision. This could be before year end but more likely in the new year. When the public hearing is scheduled, there will be an ad in a Thursday paper before the hearing. Anyone interested can submit a letter prior to the hearing and can speak for 5 minutes at the hearing. We will keep you informed as we find out when that is going to happen.
The current Land Use is M-C2 with a height limitation of 16 metres and a FAR (Floor Area Ratio) of 2.5. They are applying for Land Use District MU-1 which allows a height of 45 meters and FAR of 7.5, so around three times the current approved Land Use. While we support increased density and the Area Redevelopment Plan supports increased density, historically as already stated the number one planning and development issue in our community has been height. Our message has been consistent over the years when proposals such as this one come forward.
Best Wishes
December is a time of celebration for many people as they gather with family and friends. We wish you all the best and look forward to another good year in 2019 in our community.
