Two years ago, June 2023, the heavy-duty construction equipment rolled onto 33 Ave. SW in Calgary’s Marda Loop neighbourhood to begin a re-structuring of 33rd as well as 34 Ave., known at city hall as the ‘Marda Loop Main Streets’ project. Marda Loop is one of the unique areas of the city, with a thriving retail sector and a range of family-owned restaurants and bars, as well as a variety of business offices. Thirty-third Ave. SW is the main feeder route from 14th St. to Crowchild Tr. and is heavily used by west-bound and east-bound traffic. .According to the city, the Marda Loop Main Streets project’s aim is to create a “space attracting visitors and prioritize pedestrian experiences” with wider sidewalks, new streetlights, benches and bike racks installed along both avenues. The project's real aim is to vastly increase the density of the Marda Loop area, including multi-storey high-rise apartment buildings, up to 26 storeys on 33rd and 34th, as part of the West Elbow Local Area Plan.The plan for added density came with the need to upgrade amenities, including water, power, pathways and roads. .Local businesses and residents were told the project would be finished in one year, but the work is now scheduled to continue until October 2025. Over the last two years, sections of both 33rd and 34th have been open to only one-way traffic, parking has been severely restricted and there have been sidewalk closures. Two Marda Loop businesses, Diner Deluxe and Silver Sage Beef, have had enough and have slapped a $75 million lawsuit on the City of Calgary for the 'debilitating' two-years, and counting, construction project. In a statement of claim, the lawsuit alleges Diner Deluxe and Silver Sage Beef, representing a group of businesses, have suffered “dire financial consequences.” It claims access to businesses has been restricted, there have been constant disruptions, no enjoyment on the properties, inconsistent timelines and project implementation by the city and constant sidewalk and road closures with high traffic volume in the area. The statement also alleges the city was negligent in carrying out its construction of the project, which has faced "constant disruptions" and "undue delay" adding the city owed the businesses a duty of care to ensure safe access and to ensure businesses do not suffer economic hardship. .The businesses say they've experienced "extreme drops in customer traffic due to road closures, restrictive access, and the general unappealing prospects of a construction zone." “We had high hopes for business coming to this location, and then unfortunately construction hit and basically it took that dream and turned it into a nightmare,” Kent Zentner of Silver Sage Beef told Global News. The lawsuit alleges some businesses have been forced to close while others have reduced staff numbers and operating hours. “Knowing you have no access, no customers coming in, do you close the doors for the day, for the week, for the month?” Vince Wong of Diner Deluxe told Global. “Do you run a bare bones crew? The problem is people need to work; people need to pay bills.” Wong said he is frustrated with the lack of direct communications from city hall, a common complaint from Calgarians. “I would get more information from the guys on site on how it’s going to happen and what’s going to happen,” he said. Local residents have also expressed their frustration with the project, which has made it difficult to get around and not just driving but walking as well. .The lawsuit says the project has caused reduced foot traffic in the area, lowered property values, increased vacancy, and caused a "loss of goodwill and customer satisfaction, mental health and well-being, competitive disadvantage," having an impact on "long-term viability." The city’s ‘vision’ to turn Marda Loop into a place that will attract visitors by adding bike racks, gathering spaces and impeding traffic on a major artery reeks of the penchant of planners deep inside city hall to control Calgarians’ lives and force them to conform to the way the planners want them to live. The Marda Loop Main Streets project is loaded with the DEI and wokeness that are staples of the city’s planning department, with little or no regard to the effects on residents and businesses, the latter having suffered massive deceases in customers. In its rush to increase residential densities throughout Calgary, the city has stepped on the toes of Calgarians, ignoring their democratic rights (blanket upzoning) and destroying homeowners’ equity (Viscount Bennett High School conversion.) It has also failed to live up to its commitment to have open communications with Calgarians on city hall business (The West Elbow Local Area Plan.) In four months, the polls open for Calgary’s civic election on Oct. 20 and it’s never too soon to plan to band together and clean up city hall. It could use a good launder. .None of the allegations made in the statement of claim have been proven in court, and in a statement, the city said, "As the matter is now before the courts, we are not able to provide any further comment.”
