Calgary city council spent most of their session on Tuesday in public hearings about new housing developments, in particular a potentially massive multi-high-rise towers development at Glenmore Landing at 14 Street and 90 Avenue SW. A proposal by developer RioCan calls for six towers, with the possibility of an additional nine towers to be built prior to 2050. Heidi Green of Rio Can told council and assembled members of the public RioCan has worked on the project and been in contact with the city for 10 years, adding the area has many amenities, including parks, bike paths and more that make it the ideal location for the development. “There are lots of employment opportunities nearby, including the Rockyview General Hospital and the area has had a population decline in recent years and the development would be reviving under-utilized lands,” said Green, referring to open land to the east and south of the proposed development, with a dedicated Rapid Bus Line nearby. The original proposal for the area, added Green, was for a population of approximately 4,200, in an estimated 1,155 homes in the six towers. Last spring however, RioCan submitted a new plan that encompasses 15 towers, ranging from 11 to 30 storeys, with homes for 8,000 residents. Concerns about the proximity of the Glenmore Reservoir were brought up by a number of people speaking at the public hearing. A representative of the Palliser, Bayview and Pump Hill community association called for the development to be stopped, citing water in the reservoir would be affected, as well as the height of the buildings, which would create shadows that would affect the growth of trees and shrubs in the area, and would also be hazardous to birds in the area that are attracted by the reservoir’s waters. Another issue in the area was aging infrastructure, some dating back to the 1970s. There were those in favour of the development, saying it is a transit-oriented development, which the city favours, with the Rapid Bus Line on 14th street, which will attract people to the towers. The public hearing closed Tuesday evening with council set to debate the issue on Wednesday.
