Sunnyside residents give opinions on affordable housing in their neighbourhood

The City of Calgary hosted a walking tour of the Sunnyside Triangle Site on Sunday, looking for input on the redevelopment of the area.

Development plans for the northwest site currently include both mixed-market and affordable housing but the city wants to hear from Calgarians about other possible uses for the site and activities that could be held there.

The Sunnyside triangle is  currently home to a community garden and ‘containR,’  Calgary’s first art park where  performing arts are staged.

The city had originally planned for the parcel of land to be used for affordable housing.

“This is a great site for it. It has the LRT,  it has the grocery store and has a school nearby. It’s just a perfect site for affordable housing,” said project manager Sue Sanderson.   “It’s for people,  our everyday working people  that are just paying a significant portion of their income on rent and the market doesn’t provide housing for them.”

Part of the  plan is to set aside a portion of the land for what residents want.

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Among the participants on the walking tour was Kimberly Setrakov who is a member of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association.

“I think this is a really unique opportunity to have something innovative. Something that sets affordable housing apart, ”  Setrakov said.   “This  is a really unique spot so I think we could do something really creative and great. In my mind, I would like to see a mix of affordable housing, market housing, as well as some commercial space. Something that brings people to this area, to this community.   It would be nice to have some green space and some walking space, something that does draw people into the centre.”

The  Sunnyside Triangle is part of a bigger picture the city wants input on.   The Triangle Site exists along what is known at the ‘Bow to Bluff’ corridor.  Back when the LRT was built, seven empty parcels of land were leftover along the tracks.

“The problem was, the perception from the community was these spaces weren’t being used that well. They weren’t clean, they weren’t safe. So through the engagement process we are looking at ways of redesigning the spaces so that rather than seven separate spaces, that it feels like one interconnected corridor stretching from the Bow River all the way to McHugh Bluff,” said Greg Stewart with the Bow to Bluff project.

The Bow to Bluff project is an independent, citizen-led initiative focused on transforming this public corridor along the northwest LRT line between the Bow River and McHugh Bluff into an improved  public space.

“Looking at the corridor, the plan is to open up the spaces, to connect them and improve sight lines across the tracks, provide amenities, and new lighting so that the spaces feel comfortable,” said Stewart.

Ideas for the other parcels of land along the LRT corridor include everything from fitness parks to community gardens.  The city plans to start construction of the affordable housing and mixed market units on the Sunnyside Triangle  a year from now.

Another walking tour is planned for Monday evening at 7 p.m.  You can also express your thoughts online, at the City of Calgary engage! portal until Dec. 15.