APRIL 2015 ECCA News Official newsletter of Eau Claire Community Association West Eau Claire Park Public Realm Plan What’s Next The West Eau Claire Park Public Realm Plan is ready to take the next steps in the development of the area and park. In review the West Eau Claire area is one of the most utilized public spaces in Calgary. People of all ages and backgrounds gather in the area to enjoy the river and the open spaces along West Eau Claire. This park stands at the edge between nature and culture, defining the edge of the Centre City. The West Eau Claire Public Realm plan is a project to reappoint the public spaces along the riverfront and create places that entice people to linger and stay. The project represents a chance to build on the river’s inherent qualities and create an inspiring public park that truly represents the image of Calgary. The project goal is to create a comprehensive plan that enhances the public realm by creating a place that is pedestrian & cyclist oriented, safe, secure, accessible, legible, interesting and enjoyable for all user groups. O2 Planning + Design Inc. were assigned by the City of Calgary to develop a strong vision for West Eau Claire. The vision for West Eau Claire Park is to create the most visited and values open space in Calgary: the natural heart of the city where culture and nature intermingle. The Master Plan and Vision that has been developed is the result of a strong engagement process, which saw a record amount of feedback and comments. Open houses, interactive online maps, surveys, stakeholder workshops and pop up information tables allowed the public to express their comments, concerns and opinions regarding this area. This feedback was categorized into four areas: Circulation & Connectivity – increase safety and cohesion of cyclists and pedestrians while allowing for important connections to the Inner City and beyond. Amenities – West Eau Claire will become a destination for Calgary residents and visitors. The development of site-responsive amenities will draw visitors in and keep them engaged. Vegetation – enhance and maintain existing mature vegetation and provide access to these natural spaces. Stabilize banks through riparian vegetation. Safety & Maintenance – increase safety along all pathways throughout the park, including the riverfront and underpass. Park users are to feel safe regardless of time of day or season. The Park design is centred around a new garden that celebrates the Peace Bridge. The design maximizes the value of existing conditions and context while creating innovative new places that represent contemporary activities. It is designed to be economical to operate while remaining flexible, active and … continued on Page 3 Open for Business and Chock Full of One-of-a-Kind Finds. • $3 Evening, Weekend and • FREE event space available to Holiday parking rates and special community based & charitable Lunch hour rates organizations • Free Wifi Socialize with us! eauclairemarket.com “ April hath put a spirit of youth in everything ” William Shakespeare !""#"$#%&'()*'+,)#-.'/."#0.%$"' ROBERT COTE )%0'$1.#-'2)3#,#."'"#%4.'5665 Helping you get where you want to be 7778-9:.-$49$.84) ;<=>?;6>6@<< From the Board: West Eau Claire Park …...continued from Page 1 seasonal. Using the site’s landscape features and One of the priorities for your Eau Claire public ideas for recreational activities, ten distinct Community Association Board is following plans places were designed and connected by a and progress on all the various development comprehensive circulation strategy. The places were projects going on in the neighbourhood. We live in named (from east to west): East Promenade + a community that is still very much “under Lagoon boardwalk, The Cove + Delta Garden, The development” and keeping tabs on that Great Lawn, 8th Street Plaza + The Launch, Peace development is an important part of what we do. Sculpture Garden + River Lookouts, and River Of special interest and attention is protecting and Decks. There will also be space for a Community enhancing the residential character of Eau Claire, Garden + Exercise Machines. even in a highly urbanized setting. That means, Implementation – the implementation process is among other things, attracting businesses and dependent on cost, size and public feedback. services that can add to the quality of life. But that Throughout the design process there was an takes a kind of “critical mass” of residents sufficient abundance of feedback received that allowed gaging to keep local businesses viable. It’s encouraging of what users enjoyed about the design and what then to see some of the plans for new residential they deemed important. As reported at the ECCA projects going ahead. At the same time, the whole March Board meeting, the plan is now circulating city is growing and there is an obvious interest in through city departments with a stake in this project expanding the downtown office core into this area. such as Parks, Water Resources, Roads, Public Art, Transportation. As the plan addresses flood control, Your Board tries to work closely with both safety issues such as cyclist/pedestrian conflict, developers and the City to ensure that as new lighting, extensive coordination is required. As each projects advance we can strike an appropriate department signs on, plans to get funding follow. In balance between these needs. the coming months, detailed plans will be prepared To learn more about what’s going on and what your and it is hoped funding will be committed though Board is doing about it – and to make your views final funding decisions will be made in Council. known - I urge you to plan to attend our Annual General Meeting, which this year we’ve advanced to Information for this article was taken from the 02 June 16. Make a note to save that date. Please see Planning + Design Inc. final report presented to the page 8 regarding the annual general meeting. ECCA Board and is available on the City of Calgary website: http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Pages/ At our last ECCA Board meeting, we had an Current-studies-and-ongoing-activities/West-Eau- excellent discussion with our representative from Claire-Park.aspx?redirect=/westeauclaire the Calgary Police Service about crime trends in the area and what residents and condo boards can do to improve safety and security. The good news is that Save the date…... Calgary is one of the safest major cities in Canada, and Eau Claire relatively safe within Calgary. The Eau Claire Community Association greatest current problems are incidents of people Annual General Meeting breaking into cars and stealing loose items. Just a Tuesday, June 16, 2015 reminder if leaving cars unattended to keep loose Centennial Place items out of sight. He also talked about what condo residents and Boards can do to help increase 250 - 5 Street SW security and how the CPS is available to help. Cst J. Bow and Glacier Rooms Dyck is willing to come and discuss security issues Refreshments (liquid & solid) for your condo building and parkades. Contact him will be served through the Eau Claire Community Association website. ECCA News ! Page 3 North Central LRT North and its Effects within Eau Claire Ward 7 News Nugget - March 16, 2015: underground until it emerges on 10 Avenue South on its run toward Inglewood. Downtown In 2014, Calgary City Council made the decision to run station locations will likely include an at-grade the eventual North Central LRT line along Centre Street, station on 3 Avenue South at 1 Street SW and a rather than on Edmonton Trail. This project will act as below-grade station on 2 Street SW at 7 Avenue one half of the Green Line, a new CTrain line stretching South. Estimated cost: $1.1 billion. from the city’s far north, to the deep southeast. Now, in 2015, Council will make a decision on how the North • Option B: The CTrain will run below-grade Central LRT will travel through the Downtown. Though under Centre Street and then emerge from the funding for the project has not yet been secured, the side of the bluffs on a new transit, cycling and decision that will soon be made could impact Eau Claire walking bridge. This bridge will run over top of for decades to come. Prince’s Island Park, dropping trains to run at- grade next to Eau Claire Market. Trains will then WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EAU CLAIRE HAS enter a tunnel at 2 Avenue SW, emerging again on REVIEWED THE OPTIONS, and that YOUR VOICE IS 10 Avenue S. Downtown station locations will HEARD PRIOR TO A VOTE AT COUNCIL. likely include an at-grade station on 2 Street SW alongside Eau Claire Market and a below-grade The City is also working to install BRT (bus rapid transit) station on 2 Street SW at 7 Avenue South. services on Centre Street. This project is funded, with Estimated cost of North Central LRT project with major design and consultation work starting this year, this Downtown option: $1.3 billion. and with the buses set to roll out in around five years. This project will pave the way for the eventual LRT • Option C: The CTrain will run below-grade system, while significantly enhancing Centre Street under Centre Street and then emerge from the transit service in the meantime. side of the bluffs on a new transit, cycling and walking bridge. This bridge will run over top of Regardless of how trains eventually move through Prince’s Island Park, connecting to an above- Downtown, the North Central LRT will improve mobility grade/elevated track along 2 Street SW. Trains options for those living in Eau Claire and potentially will run 4 storeys in the air, passing over top of bring more customers to Eau Claire businesses.