Banff Trail residents can get an intimate knowledge of proposed plans conceptualized by the next generation of city planners in a project done in conjunction with the University of Calgary.
The Banff Trail Community Association (BCTA) will hold a concept plan open house on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The featured workshop is a partnership between the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) and the Federation of Calgary Communities’ Citizen + Students project. Another project under the same program is being held for the Coach Hill and Patterson Heights neighbourhoods.
“Community associations are always looking forward to building on their creative process when working with students,” said Mia Leung, urban planner at the Federation of Calgary Communities.
“What’s left behind is a tangible product that allows for students to document their experience when it comes to working with the community.”
Since January, a group of SAPL Master of Planning graduate students has been divided into four teams and working together to envision what the Banff Trail community area could look like and how it might be revitalized. After weeks of research into traffic, population, crime, and school enrollment data (provided by the City of Calgary) and working with the community through a previous workshop, the student teams will present their proposals in the BCTA board room. Residents can expect to see visualizations like maps, models, diagrams, sketches, and Photoshop before/after images.
“We provide a menu of ideas for the community to explore and help them visualize change,” said Francisco Alaniz Uribe, associate professor at SAPL and lead in the project. The proposals will touch on built form, open space, and mobility.
Proposed plans envision positive effect on the community
The program envisions plans that may be used as a road map in future city initiatives. It is not part of a statutory Local Area Plan but serves as an exercise for students to engage in hands-on work in urban planning. It’s considered a street-level view rather than a bird’s-eye-view.
“The city has their own objectives when they engage with the community association,” said Alaniz Uribe.
“Our role is more to explore with them and start to propose a strategy so that change that is happening (or can happen) has a positive effect on the community.”
Nevertheless, there is the possibility that the proposals made by the students could play a role in future development plans be it through adoption or implementation or use as a reference. Leung explains that it is not uncommon for students’ work to become incorporated into future policy documents.
“There are no litigious barriers,” said Leung.
“So it provides that creative freedom for the citizens and students to design a good planning practice.”
Residents will have a chance to learn what future growth plans might look like while also voicing their own concerns.
“Banff Trail has sort of a controversial history with growth,” said David Kowel, planning and development director with the Banff Trail Community Association.
“It’s important to try and convey and communicate why growth can be good.”
Kowel says that Banff Trail was selected for its unique features. It is close to the three LRT stations; it’s close to the university and has seen housing conversion from single-family homes to row homes or multifamily. It also has the Motel Village, which is of particular interest for the revitalization of new parks, restaurants and coffee shops that can come with density.
Members of the Banff Trail community are encouraged to attend the open house, and Kowel assures that anybody from any community who is interested in learning about what growth plans could look like (or even if they are wary of growth) is welcome to attend.
“To do a planning for your community is quite a rare opportunity,” said Kowell.
“The city isn’t doing that for every community.”
