| An area of the city that often garners negative media coverage for its crime and social problems could be on its way to becoming known as one of Calgary’s most dynamic and exciting neighbourhoods, say those involved in a new project to redesign 17th Avenue S.E.
The City of Calgary, the University of Calgary and the International Avenue Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) are teaming up to give the street in the greater Forest Lawn area a much-needed facelift. On Monday, March 15 project leaders will hold a public meeting in the community to seek feedback on how the transformation should occur. They’ll also be looking for community members to volunteer to be part of a community task force that will guide the project.
Architecture and urban design professor Robert Kirby says the project will include expertise from the departments of urban design, environmental science, sociology, engineering, communications and culture, fine arts and the Haskayne School of Business. Socioeconomic issues will be studied and factored into street redesign plans, he says.
Kirby says the Faculty of Environmental Design, in which he works, has taken on a number of community outreach projects in different areas of the city over the years, but this one will be its most extensive ever.
The challenge will be to make the street attractive to pedestrians and to stop it from just being a major transportation route for anyone living outside of the area, he says.
"At the moment it’s not a very attractive place. We want it to become a destination like Kensington or 17th Avenue S.W.," he says. "We’re looking at how to create a very vibrant street."
The street already has unique positive features because of its multicultural nature which is represented in various ethnic restaurants and stores, says Kirby. As well, the street offers some panoramic views of the Rockies.
Alison Karim-McSwiney, manager for the International Avenue BRZ, says there’s already been some work done on 17th Avenue S.E. over the last few years, including planting trees and putting up benches and bus shelters.
However, she says she’d like to see more people actually living on the street and she’d like the street to become more pedestrian friendly. Right now the sidewalks are intermittent or nonexistent. In some places people, are forced to walk on asphalt medians. The overall look of the street also has to be improved, she adds.
"Unfortunately there are some very bad developments that are poorly designed and not cared for. We have a lot of absentee landlords that don’t care about the community," she says. "We do have some derelict sites no question and I’d like to see them developed."
City plans to eventually widen 17th Avenue S.E. have hindered some redesign from taking place, she says. There’s currently a seven-metre setback from the roadway so that the city can eventually add additional lanes, but Karim-McSwiney says the street would be much more attractive if businesses were located adjacent to the sidewalk, with the parking lots behind them instead of in front. However, she says that isn’t likely to happen under current planning rules.
Despite such limitations, Karim-McSwiney says she believes the area is poised to become a trendy street in coming years – a sentiment echoed by City of Calgary architect and planner Paul Maas.
"It has the potential to be the most exciting retail area in Calgary," he says. "It’s got by far the most ethnically diverse population in the city… There’s an immense variety of shops and restaurants but if you’re driving through, lots of people are unaware of it." |
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