| Devonian Gardens, one of Calgary’s most popular parks, is going to be getting a major overhaul, but downtown residents and groups have been left out of the process.
"The only thing I have heard about the redevelopment of the gardens is through the media," says Nico Breed, president of the Downtown West Community Association. "It’s unfortunate."
The City of Calgary website describes Devonian Gardens, which opened in September 1977, as "a peaceful indoor park located in the heart of downtown Calgary" and "a favourite destination for local and international tourists, downtown workers, and Calgarians too." The park is located on three levels of TD Square, has approximately 700,000 visitors a year, and is one of the world's largest indoor parks.
Breed says he would like to know more about the proposed plans for Devonian Gardens and how the changes will affect the (mostly) residential area of Downtown West.
"We have a large number of residents," says Breed. "And not so much business."
Archie Lang, manager with the city parks department and a member of the planning team for the project, says that "stakeholders" have been contacted.
The stakeholders Lang is referring to, however, are not community groups, members of downtown community associations, representatives of shelters (whose clients frequent the park) or the large senior population that lives in the core of the city.
"No, we haven’t consulted with them," says Lang. "We’ve talked to investors."
Those investors include Oxford Properties Group, one of the original founders of the park, which provided a $3 million contribution in 1977. The other major contributor to establish the park 27 years ago was the charitable wing of the Devonian Foundation, with a $6 million contribution.
Operated as a regular City of Calgary park, Devonian Gardens will be turned over to Oxford Properties in 73 years under an existing 99-year contract.
As it now stands, the gardens are set to receive a major facelift, with construction slated to begin in 2007.
"We want to enhance this park for the people," says Lang.
Throughout its history, the major draw to the gardens has been its more than 20,000 plants, including 16,000 imported from Florida. The proposed plan for this semi-tropical oasis calls for a mix of public gardens and private enterprise, with at least one lounge/restaurant.
According to Lang, one of the goals of introducing private businesses into a public park is to offset the costs of operating the space. Officials say that more than 30 per cent of the garden’s $1 million annual budget is currently directed to heating costs.
"It’s about sustainability," says Lang.
Other plans for the gardens include a new playground area, butterfly pavilion and children’s garden.
The cost of the project has not been determined, with a first draft of the proposal scheduled to be presented to city council in September. |
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