Highland Park golf course redevelopment

[speedog]

So my son and I went to the Highland Golf course redevelopment open house last night just to get an idea of how things are progressing - note that this redevelopment is to the east of the community we live in (Highwood) and as such, doesn't directly impact our community but seeing as some of the proposed infrastructure changes will impact us as we travel outside of our community, we felt best to enlighten ourselves a bit.

I'll include link to parts of the http://reimagining.ca/ web site where one can find pictures/scans of their presentation materials that have been used in this current as well as past open houses. Please note that there is another open house schedueld for Saturday, January 24, 2015 - use this link to get more details.

Overall, I like most of the design although the type of housing still remains as a big question mark - they were querying the open house attendees with respect to what they might like to see. Never the less, I do like the cycle/walking paths and increased density and I think the plan, even if it comes to fruition as they're currently proposing, would be a great redevelopment of that golf course.

Anyhow, the links and a few pictures from their site...

Holder of materials - see the 2013/2-0014/2015 folders

Current proposal...

Link to massive picture of above image

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by speedog

So my son and I went to the Highland Golf course redevelopment open house last night just to get an idea of how things are progressing - note that this redevelopment is to the east of the community we live in (Highwood) and as such, doesn't directly impact our community but seeing as some of the proposed infrastructure changes will impact us as we travel outside of our community, we felt best to enlighten ourselves a bit.

I'll include link to parts of the http://reimagining.ca/ web site where one can find pictures/scans of their presentation materials that have been used in this current as well as past open houses. Please note that there is another open house schedueld for Saturday, January 24, 2015 - use this link to get more details.

Overall, I like most of the design although the type of housing still remains as a big question mark - they were querying the open house attendees with respect to what they might like to see. Never the less, I do like the cycle/walking paths and increased density and I think the plan, even if it comes to fruition as they're currently proposing, would be a great redevelopment of that golf course.

Anyhow, the links and a few pictures from their site...

Holder of materials - see the 2013/2-0014/2015 folders

Current proposal...

Link to massive picture of above image

Lots of detail to consider, but first thought is that the NIMBY appeasement resulting in no access via the entire bottom right is a mistake. Probably wouldn't win against those neighbors though.

[Fuzz]

Suburbia: I don't see it as an issue. Its a fairly steep grade, and it wouldn't provide any real benefit to drivers because you have to just enter 40th ave anyway to get anywhere. Pathways seam fien to me.

I do think it is a shame that this is going to be developed though. Given that its a natural continuation of the Confederation park system, it would have been great to keep it as open park and have the city just run a proper pathway through it. Perhaps a few corners could have been developed. Once a city gets rid of green space, their is no going back. In 50 years, would this be better as a park or development?

[Fuzz]

That traffic circle in the south will also be interesting...its on a downhill from the east, and rush hour traffic often backs up from 4th st to 2nd street. Looks tight for buses too. Is their a planned light on Centre street? Seams without it a rush hour left turn is going to be tricky and divert more traffic onto 40th ave.

[Wooster]

Design has a lot of room to improve. Don't particularly like the lay out of the buildings.

[speedog]

Traffic circle - I expressed concerns about that. The developer says they will raise the level of 40th avenue at the location of the roundabout to decrease the grade to the east - the problem with this is the access into the existing town home complex to the west of that traffic circle and I also see that roundabout being an issue for transit.

As far as the Centre Street intersection, we couldn't get any clear answer on whether it will be a signalized intersection or not - I would think it would have to be.

As far as the layout of the buildings on the existing lands - this is due to the existing infrastructure that runs underneath the golf course. There is a huge storm water main that takes in the stream that runs through Confederation Park as well as the street sewers in Highwood to the west - the proposed road that runs through this development would be right over top of this storm water main. There is also a sanitary sewer line that the proposed bike path runs over top of and there is also one or two underground natural gas right of ways that have to be accommodated as well. All of this existing underground infrastructure has dictated where buildings can or can not be placed.

[polishavenger]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Suburbia: I don't see it as an issue. Its a fairly steep grade, and it wouldn't provide any real benefit to drivers because you have to just enter 40th ave anyway to get anywhere. Pathways seam fien to me.

I do think it is a shame that this is going to be developed though. Given that its a natural continuation of the Confederation park system, it would have been great to keep it as open park and have the city just run a proper pathway through it. Perhaps a few corners could have been developed. Once a city gets rid of green space, their is no going back. In 50 years, would this be better as a park or development?

Too disjointed from confed to really be part of that park system, you have a cemetery, then a high school between the eastern edge of confed park before you get to this patch of green.

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Suburbia: I don't see it as an issue. Its a fairly steep grade, and it wouldn't provide any real benefit to drivers because you have to just enter 40th ave anyway to get anywhere. Pathways seam fien to me.

I just registered where exactly this is. I think it is excellent that this gets developed, and will be an amazing location for when the LRT finally gets up there.

While there is loss of green space, it looks like the philosophy of the development still maintains a lot of it, and keeping it connected (as you pointed out).

Are there plans beyond the piece of commercial on the east side of centre? That portion looks so sad every time I pass by on the 301. We call these things green spaces, but without manufactured irrigation, they are actually brown dead spaces.

I'm curious what this will do to McKight in that area though. A very difficult bottleneck that needs attention.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by polishavenger

Too disjointed from confed to really be part of that park system, you have a cemetery, then a high school between the eastern edge of confed park before you get to this patch of green.

And the Queen's Park townhome complex and the J.E. Harris House seniors complex and the Calgary Epilepsy building and the town home complex to the north of J.E. Harris House.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by suburbia

I just registered where exactly this is. I think it is excellent that this gets developed, and will be an amazing location for when the LRT finally gets up there.

While there is loss of green space, it looks like the philosophy of the development still maintains a lot of it, and keeping it connected (as you pointed out).

Are there plans beyond the piece of commercial on the east side of centre? That portion looks so sad every time I pass by on the 301. We call these things green spaces, but without manufactured irrigation, they are actually brown dead spaces.

I'm curious what this will do to McKight in that area though. A very difficult bottleneck that needs attention.

Yes, the plan is for commercial on the east side of Centre Street with a Sunterra type of grocery store. There is also some business development planned for buildings on the west side of Centre Street in the form of medical/services/small shops/etc with housing over top of these businesses.

McKnight - well there is that long gone plan to expand it to the south (6 lanes divided). Plan has completely disappeared off of the city's web site but the city is quietly buying up properties along McKnight and in Highwood as they come on the market and bulldozing the homes on those properties. One home in Highwood to date, several along the south side of McKnight and one on the NW corner of McKnight and 4th Street NW..

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by polishavenger

Too disjointed from confed to really be part of that park system, you have a cemetery, then a high school between the eastern edge of confed park before you get to this patch of green.

It's still a continuous pathway/greenspace until you get to 40th. The Cemetery doesn't scare people from using it! I go through there every day. Obviously it would be nicer to continue without the existing buildings there, but they are already built.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by suburbia

I just registered where exactly this is. I think it is excellent that this gets developed, and will be an amazing location for when the LRT finally gets up there.

While there is loss of green space, it looks like the philosophy of the development still maintains a lot of it, and keeping it connected (as you pointed out).

Are there plans beyond the piece of commercial on the east side of centre? That portion looks so sad every time I pass by on the 301. We call these things green spaces, but without manufactured irrigation, they are actually brown dead spaces.

I'm curious what this will do to McKight in that area though. A very difficult bottleneck that needs attention.

You mean the soccer field and baseball diamonds? It could use a bit more love, maybe some trees around it but no reason to turn it into a development.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

You mean the soccer field and baseball diamonds? It could use a bit more love, maybe some trees around it but no reason to turn it into a development.

No, I think he'd be referring to the land the abuts Centre Street and runs over about a block to the east (west of the playing fields) - that is seriously under utilized.

[Spring2008]

What are the proposed heights? Might be a good opportunity for 6 storey wood frame, this isn't exactly prime land at the moment.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

What are the proposed heights? Might be a good opportunity for 6 storey wood frame, this isn't exactly prime land at the moment.

This they were not providing much of any information about - I could see the development in the NW corner being as much as 8-12 stories high. The stuff in the east side probably 3-6 floors and the rest no more than 3-4 floors - some would be tiered to accommodate the land it would be built on. The developer was querying the open house attendees as to the type of housing/buildings they'd like to see built on this site.

With LRT eventually coming to the east side of this site and all three levels of public schooling within walking distance, I would say that the right type of housing built on this land would make it very prime for some people. An outdoor swimming pool under a 10 minute walk away and great access to the airport as well as Deerfoot make it attractive as well - also on a direct bus route to both the U of C and Mount Royal University.

[ByeByeBaby]

Originally Posted by speedog

This they were not providing much of any information about - I could see the development in the NW corner being as much as 8-12 stories high. The stuff in the east side probably 3-6 floors and the rest no more than 3-4 floors - some would be tiered to accommodate the land it would be built on. The developer was querying the open house attendees as to the type of housing/buildings they'd like to see built on this site.

The initial development plan on the linked website provides a lot of details, including the heights of every proposed building. It's pretty big, though. Highest is 12 stories on Centre st, then 8 on the west side of Centre and north side of 40th, down to mostly 4ish in the middle IIRC.

[speedog]

Story in the Herald, link, changes in plan that was submitted that don't appear to have been presented to the local communities. This the plan from December 2014 - link (149 page PDF).

Four proposed 18 story buildings as opposed to nothing over 12 stories before. 90% of the existing trees are to be removed as well, it will be sad to see them go but as a nearby resident, I do know that the bulk of these trees are poplars that are quite old and are probably at risk of coming down in windstorms. Had a huge poplar come down at Calgary North Vet just yesterday due to wind.

[outoftheice]

Originally Posted by speedog

As far as the Centre Street intersection, we couldn't get any clear answer on whether it will be a signalized intersection or not - I would think it would have to be

Based on conversations at Green Line Open houses my understanding is that anything with a left turn over the tracks will be signalized and that the traffic volume and turning movements from this intersection is one of the contributing factors to the proposed McKnight Blvd station being moved north.

[speedog]

5,000 VPD on from 42nd Avenue NW on to 4th Street seems like a big number for that intersection - lights there maybe? This is already quite backed up NB during the evening rush and another light certainly won't help.