Trevor Howell

NO DEAL, TENTATIVE OR OTHERWISE, TO MISSION "PIT"

For seven years, a three-metre-high, city block-long plywood and chain-link fence wall has barricaded the notorious “pit” in Mission.

The pit is the result of a failed condominium development — a stark reminder of Calgary’s stalled real estate market.

But residents are fed-up and furious with the eyesore that was once home to several local shops and restaurants, says Zak Pashak, who is running for alderman in Ward 8.

“Mission used to be, and still is to some extent, a walkable community,” says Pashak. “The pit kind of kills street life and makes it less friendly.”

The solution, he says, ultimately rests in provincial legislation. Pashak proposes amending the Municipal Government Act to force property owners to restore the land if development doesn’t begin within a set timeframe.

“What that does is put leverage on the financers to make sure they’re going to work with people who follow through on their projects,” he says.

“It’s a disaster,” says Ald. John Mar, who is running for re-election in Ward 8. “Something needs to be done on that hole.”

However, a solution for the Mission “pit” could be on the horizon. After months of negotiations, a tentative deal could see the Kirby Centre and Meals on Wheels move into the site within two years, says Mar.

But the CEO of the Kerby Centre says the Mission site is one of several locations it is looking at, but any notion of a deal is an “over-exaggeration.”

“There is no tentative deal,” says Luanne Whitmarsh.

There’s still the issue of who ultimately shoulders the cost of restoring unsightly pits. While Pashak is clear that property owners should be responsible, Mar wouldn’t say who should pay the costs.

However, Mar and Pashak agree that provincial legislation needs to be changed to give the city more power to deal with the problem.

“The city of Calgary has the power to command that some of these things are filled if it’s deemed unsafe,” says Mar. “But these things can be appealed in court and there’s a whole bunch of challenges even with the demand to fill from the city.”

The economic collapse froze many Calgary developments, leaving the city pock-marked with gaping holes like the one in Mission. And they’ve arguably caused problems for the city and Calgarians.

In June, residents in Central Park Manor on 13th Avenue SW, were ordered to evacuate their building because the foundation of a neighbouring deep pit was compromised.

RESURRECT THE REGISTRY

Ten years ago Calgary city council scrapped its 30-year-old real estate registry, which required council members and senior civil servants to disclose their property holdings.

Now a mayoral candidate is calling for the registry to be reinstated and further reaching to council members’ spouses, business partners and blind trusts.

“Members of council need to be open and transparent,” says Craig Burrows, adding council members and city employees should be banned from conducting business with the city for three years after leaving their posts.

The measure, he adds, would help show that council members and senior administration are making decisions based on what’s best for communities, not self-interest. “If you’re not transparent it leads to conspiracies,” he says.

When the registry was scrapped, Mayor Dave Bronconnier, an alderman who voted to abolish it, said changes to provincial legislation made the registry redundant.

Under Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, when elected official discuss matters in council, they are required to disclose related financial interests. They must also leave the room when the matter is discussed and to abstain from voting on the issue.

TAX EXEMPTION EASY SELL TO SENIORS

Telling senior voters you’ll tax them less is a surefire way to earn their nod at the voting booth.

So when Ward 4 aldermanic candidate Jane Morgan told seniors they should be exempt from paying school taxes at an October 4 forum, the result was predictable — applause from the mostly elderly crowd.

“It’s a concern I’ve heard time and time again from seniors not just in this campaign, but in my past runs at MLA positions as well,” says Morgan. “It’s a huge issue and it’s not one where there’s an easy, pat answer to.”

Seniors, especially those on fixed-incomes, who have paid into the system for years should get some discount to reduce their property taxes, says Morgan.

In 2009, the average single-family household in Calgary paid $884 in school taxes, which is included in the city’s property tax collection.

But the issue would have to be approved by the province, which may be a tough sell. “They obviously need to address how they’re funding education right now as well,” says Morgan, who for the past few years worked for the Wildrose Alliance. “From my past experience with the Wildrose, I don’t agree how they handle the funding of education right now.”

Exempting seniors from paying school taxes is a slippery slope. If they don’t have to pay, should childless taxpayers also be exempted?

“We do run the risk of opening a can of worms,” says Morgan.

WORK FROM HOME

How can the city save money, reduce CO2 emissions and make employees happy? Teleworking, says mayoral hopeful Jon Lord.

If elected, Lord says he’d aim to have up to 20 per cent of city employees work from home at least one day a week. Workers who primarily work on data or the phones could work from home full-time, he adds.

“It’s a workplace revolution,” says the former alderman. “When they’ve implemented this elsewhere it’s turned into an extremely successful program.”

Setting up each home office would cost about $5,000, says Lord, adding federal and provincial technology, environmental and innovation programs could be tapped to cover those costs.

Productivity increases 10 to 30 per cent when people work from home, which would translate into savings exceeding $30 million for the city each year, says Lord.

Email: thowell@ffwd.greatwest.ca