Transportation is a hot topic with priorities and focus varying from neighborhood to neighbourhood. 

I am a multi-modal user. I drive, walk, bike, and take transit. This informs my perspective and I feel it brings a balance to the conversation that may not exist in other candidates.

The coles notes version of this blog post is that I support investment into Calgary Transit and the City’s 5A Network “Always Available for All Ages & Abilities”. A city which supports non auto-oriented networks ensures Calgary residents can navigate their neighborhoods safely and cost-effectively year round. ​

WALKING AND CYCLING

The 5A network recognizes that Calgarians are actively needing and choosing different modes of transportation to navigate our city. This includes separated cycle tracks along with sidewalk and pathway improvements. 

What does improving the 5A network look like in Ward 11 neighborhoods?​

ROADS
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I haven’t forgotten about you auto-users. I want to assure you that investment into transit and bike lanes does not directly compete with investment in roads. We need roads for emergency services, transit, and to support ride-sharing, for-hire rides, and 

I have experienced and know that snow clearing after major events needs to evolve to better support entry and exit from neighborhoods.

There are routes which are frequented by accidents (Crowchild south before Glenmore anyone?) which need traffic pattern reviews.

As a result of sprawl, road volume has increased and so traffic noise is affecting neighbourhoods more. Sound walls need to be life-cycled to improve quality of life for adjacent residents.

So, how can Calgary become a leader and what issues do we need to address immediately to help move us forward to ensure we have resilient measures against the effects of climate change? We start by listening to the experts, both on staff with the City and those who are leaders in their field and in communities. I will continue to learn about what Calgary can do, here are a few of my priority areas, in short form. Please feel free to follow up for a more in depth conversation.

• We need to use our land better. Sprawl is costly to the environment. Using our existing built city means placing people closer to services and amenities, decreasing the need for travel, especially by car.

 

• Speaking of roads, we need to build infrastructure that supports active transportation like walking and cycling. Our transit service must also give people timely access to school, work, and play.

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• The sides of our major roads require maintenance through mowing. Naturalizing boulevards and green spaces adjacent to arterial roads means less mowing is required, better carbon capture through trees and shrubs, and a better environment for pollinators though native flowering species.

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• Converting green spaces to urban agriculture will support vulnerable Calgarians who often lack the means to access fresh fruits and vegetables. Community gardens also become valuable social hubs which strengthen neighbourhoods.

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• In park spaces, our focus should be on perennial species which support native wildlife and pollinators. This will decrease the need for watering. Building out the urban tree canopy continues to be a priority. While establishing trees takes water, once settled, they help keep the ground and air cool, further reducing the need for watering of lawns and green spaces.

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• Due to our population growth and decreasing availability of fresh glacier water, Calgary needs to be serious about decreasing our water usage. A report released in May of 2019 predicts that by 2036 we will reach peak limit. There are multiple communities which rely on the same water source further downstream who are also suffering from increased climate events like this year’s heat dome. Water is critical to farmers who grow crops, a major economic source for Alberta.

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• With both hot summers and cold winters, Calgary is a unique location to develop building materials that insulate against both heat and cold. Calgary could be a hub for advancement in building materials if that economy is challenged to improve.

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• Improving the efficiency of city owned buildings and partnering with civic organizations should be top of mind. Retrofits support the economy. Solar is the most obvious choice. I would encourage the City to make green certification a standard for any partner buildings like the new event centre. I would also like solar to be part of the new Green Line strategy.

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• There has been progress on extended producer responsibility, and Calgary should continue to move this forward. This has been championed by Councillor Demong as written about here.​

I also wrote an op-ed for Live Wire a while back. I acknowledge that currently detached dwellings are outpacing condo sales and that covid has caused a shift in how and where we want to live. I would take this moment to advocate for denser housing with three or four bedrooms. This can include apartments, condos, and row-housing.
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One thing I heard from candidates over and over this election cycle is the jargon of the ‘single-family’ neighbourhood. Ward 11 has 27 communities. Three of those have exclusively detached dwellings (Bel Aire, Mayfair, and Meadowlark Park). City wide those three communities are also an anomaly. Neighbourhoods aren’t defined by housing type. Communities have a boundary in which 89% of Ward 11 communities include a spectrum of housing. When we talk about ‘single-family (detached) neighbourhoods’ in exclusion of attached housing we do ourselves a disservice. That language is exclusionary and belittling of neighbours who for whatever reason live in housing that is not single detached. 

Below are four photos of Palliser, showing a variety of housing type within a two block radius. Some existing Ward 11 neighbourhoods have done a good job mixing uses, like Palliser, Windsor Park, and Kingsland. These are good examples to model and use as a starting point for neighbourhoods to understand that multiple housing types can co-exist in the same neighbourhood and the sense of community isn't negatively affected.​

​Growing up we were raised by my mom, with my dad living in Edmonton. He was around but it was her example we saw day in and day out. She was always volunteering at school, for our team sports, and was the ringleader for spirit days at her work. As a nurse she has shaped my vision of commitment to care, she still works casually to support the system during covid although she is technically retired. This is her reminder - get vaccinated!

I read more than watch tv. I like my two cups of coffee every morning. I really like shoes (but the comfy cool casual sneaker kind). I’m a horrible singer. My favourite food is potatoes (in pretty much any form), and I would eat vanilla ice cream for dessert every day.
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Next week I will tell you more about my experience through volunteering and work, and how that has given me the foundation to be an excellent councillor for ward 11.

I've written previous blog posts about making Calgary a city that supports neighbourhoods across seasons, ages, and explores how we can encourage small businesses in our parks.

• Calgary as a winter city
• Designing a city for girls
• Civic Tourism
• 40 Wishes for Calgary

I want Ward 11 to be full of neighbourhoods where families see a future. This means playgrounds and green spaces to play, neighbourhood schools remaining open, and recreation programming which supports a sense of community. I also want communities to be multi-generational and accessible, meaning neighbourhoods need to be designed for seniors to age in place and those with physical impairments can navigate our communities. At both ends of the age spectrum and for those with disabilities, neighbourhood design looks similar - curb cuts at road crossings, well marked crosswalks, snow clearing at transit stations and bus stops, clean transit stations, and well lit roads and sidewalks to name a few. A spectrum of civic services hosted in buildings kept in good repair is critical to serving residents. ​

"Coming home from vacation with a few insights that seem to be universal truths re: tourism that Calgary could leverage:

• First - Water attracts people, could we do more with our rivers & reservoir with enhanced opportunities to explore the water? (ie. rentals)
• ​Second - Local anything is a big draw, from food to handmade goods. Can we support/encourage more markets near our major parks and walkable streets on a more regular basis (especially in the summer)? What about street entertainment as an add on? Food trucks too!
• Third - Telling the story of our landscape, our local plants and the food and drinks we can create from it. Our local wildlife and the importance they play in our ecosystem. Why don’t we have more info boards around the reservoir or along our river paths?

None of this has to be done in big ways by big organizations. Rather, the collective of independent organizations working together to tell our unique story, supported by the City, as enablers of our opportunities to inspire and educate."
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Specifically, here's what I loved that I think Calgary could do:

Victoria had local vendors around the harbour on Saturday, a farmer's market a few blocks off the main street, and a small food centred area at one of the harbours. Calgary could do this more frequently at Eau Claire, Stephen Avenue, East Village, and North Glenmore Park. 

We need to emphasize or provide more water rentals and tours. Canoes, kayaks, floating. Moving on the water is a great way to explore our city. Why is the SS Moyer the only boat to give tours on the reservoir? And because we have less water, more bike rentals too, especially at parks not along the river, North Glenmore, South Glenmore, Carburn Park, Fish Creek, Bowness, Nose Hill, the list goes on. And let's not forget the winter with skate rentals, toboggans, snowshoes, cross country skis.

I believe a big part of Calgary's success is going to be innovating on what exists here to create new opportunities. It is likely we are going to need to review bylaws and policies which prevent some of these practices from happening. I know Calgary can support local businesses in providing both local and tourist opportunities, I'm ready to be that leadership who will ask the questions to get us towards solutions.

In 2018 a man walked into the Beakerhead office on 4th street close to Safeworks. He was clearly in distress needing to use. I watched my co-workers freeze and one picked up the phone to call the police. We were two blocks away from the Chumir. I stood up and introduced myself, asked his name, and offered to walk him down to the site. My friend and co-worker joined me as we walked and made small talk about the weather.

The province is set to close Safeworks, the Safe Consumption Site at the Sheldon Chumir with plans to reallocate to 'partner organizations' (likely shelters) according to this recent article. I worry about the strain on social agencies to provide increased care and service for vulnerable populations. I see the continued stigma and assumptions made about users.

Access to a site assumes you are proximal or have means to use transportation to arrive. It also assumes the site will feel safe, welcoming, and inclusive. We have users of all genders, ethnicities, and span socio-economic statuses who need a site. Have these factors been considered when choosing new locations?

Three thoughts:

First - locations should have been chosen in partnership with the City of Calgary. I am not certain this is the case.

Second - by moving the consumption sites to shelter or social agency sites, we are stigmatizing who uses and casting a broad assumption that all users are homeless or living in the shelter system. We know this isn't the case.

I will say that I support having locations within social service agencies IF there are other sites as well and IF those sites are staffed (funded) by the province and the expectation of staffing does not suddenly become part of the agency's operating budget without funding from the Province.

Third - the recognition that need for sites does not exist solely in the beltline or downtown core; drug use is not a geographic phenomenon.

The need for MORE sites exists. We see this in the number of users at the Chumir site, and in the spillover for the users who are unable to access the site. I have spoken with communities and Calgary Police who see users at sites such as transit stations - because they are monitored with cameras and help buttons. 

There isn't one answer to solving the challenges associated with drug use. I believe we need a comprehensive approach that is supported by the Province and the City which support both users and communities. We need funding for mental health care, housing, safe consumption sites, addictions treatment, and funding for social service agencies as early interveners. We need training for our first responders, bylaw and transit officers, and community leaders to be part of the solution in communities.

Mostly we need to talk about users as people - humans with complex emotions, needs, and histories. We need to see that we are all part of the problem when we stigmatize users but can also be part of the solution when we see users as humans who are for their own reasons, in a position where drug use is part of their life. Is this easy, not always. I believe we need to keep talking about it, openly and candidly. I am committed to these conversations to support all Calgarians regardless of the situation they find themselves in.