The community of Harvest Hills in northeast Calgary looks much different now than it did two and half years ago. That’s when the city gave the green light to build over 700 homes on the former Harvest Hills golf course.
“It’s too bad that city hall ignored the views of the residents of this area,” area resident Aaron Kowbel said on Saturday.
People who live in the community have raised concerns over the years about the project’s density, how many mature trees would be cut down and how close the new homes would be to existing houses. Those who spearheaded the opposition said it wasn’t just the end result that disappointed them — it was the process that was frustrating.
“The money that they spend on doing these information sessions and consultation and engagement and then in the end they already have their minds made up. It’s already a done deal. Very frustrating for us,” said Rick Lundy, former president of the Northern Hills Community Association.
Lundy has some advice for city councillors and community groups taking on local causes.
“One of the things I think is important is asking right from the beginning, ‘Is this a done deal? Is this really happening or do we have a chance of altering this or changing the outcome?’
“If the answer is no, then you want to be a little more strategic and how we can be part of this process to make sure the community is still going to get something, even though this is happening,” Lundy said.
Forty per cent of the development will remain as open space, with the developer maintaining a minimum of eight metres of green space between existing homes and new ones.
“It’s really turned out the way I had expected,” said Jessica Karpat, principal of planning at QuantumPlace Developments.
She was hosting a Jane’s Walk in the new development on Saturday.
“It was super important both to the alderman (at the time of approval) Jim Stevenson and to the residents when we were talking about design. Of course the residents were in opposition to the development, but when we talked to residents about what was of importance of them if the development was to get approved, it was that intervening green space.”
But those who fought the development say those buffer zones don’t make up for council’s decision to rezone the golf course.
“It will be interesting to see how the community will change with more homes and no more added services,” said area resident Jessica Kowbel.
As for Lundy, he said the whole experience was a learning process for him as president of the community association.
“We knew at the end we didn’t have a chance,” he said. “The city definitely needs to go back to the drawing board and look at this because this puts a bad taste in the community. If the community knew right from the beginning that this is happening then the people that are negotiating can strategize a bit better.”
The project is now about 40 per cent complete and will be home to an estimated 1,400 people, according to Karpat.
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Residents of northeast Calgary community frustrated with city after development goes ahead on golf course
Residents of northeast Calgary community frustrated with city after development goes ahead on golf course
The community of Harvest Hills in northeast Calgary looks much different now than it did two and half years ago. That’s when the city gave the green light to build over 700 homes on the former Harvest Hills golf course.
“It’s too bad that city hall ignored the views of the residents of this area,” area resident Aaron Kowbel said on Saturday.
People who live in the community have raised concerns over the years about the project’s density, how many mature trees would be cut down and how close the new homes would be to existing houses. Those who spearheaded the opposition said it wasn’t just the end result that disappointed them — it was the process that was frustrating.
“The money that they spend on doing these information sessions and consultation and engagement and then in the end they already have their minds made up. It’s already a done deal. Very frustrating for us,” said Rick Lundy, former president of the Northern Hills Community Association.
Lundy has some advice for city councillors and community groups taking on local causes.
“One of the things I think is important is asking right from the beginning, ‘Is this a done deal? Is this really happening or do we have a chance of altering this or changing the outcome?’
“If the answer is no, then you want to be a little more strategic and how we can be part of this process to make sure the community is still going to get something, even though this is happening,” Lundy said.
Forty per cent of the development will remain as open space, with the developer maintaining a minimum of eight metres of green space between existing homes and new ones.
“It’s really turned out the way I had expected,” said Jessica Karpat, principal of planning at QuantumPlace Developments.
She was hosting a Jane’s Walk in the new development on Saturday.
“It was super important both to the alderman (at the time of approval) Jim Stevenson and to the residents when we were talking about design. Of course the residents were in opposition to the development, but when we talked to residents about what was of importance of them if the development was to get approved, it was that intervening green space.”
But those who fought the development say those buffer zones don’t make up for council’s decision to rezone the golf course.
“It will be interesting to see how the community will change with more homes and no more added services,” said area resident Jessica Kowbel.
As for Lundy, he said the whole experience was a learning process for him as president of the community association.
“We knew at the end we didn’t have a chance,” he said. “The city definitely needs to go back to the drawing board and look at this because this puts a bad taste in the community. If the community knew right from the beginning that this is happening then the people that are negotiating can strategize a bit better.”
The project is now about 40 per cent complete and will be home to an estimated 1,400 people, according to Karpat.
Source: Read Full Article