Latest news with #CalgaryParking
Calgary Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Leong: Plan for paid parking at Edworthy Park unworthy of consideration
The City of Calgary is undermining its own parks system, thanks to a bit of bureaucratic manoeuvring. Article content Article content Part of Calgary Parks' mission says this: 'We strive for high-quality standards and sustainability within our parks and open space system, while ensuring that it remains accessible for the enjoyment and outdoor pursuits of all Calgarians.' Article content The operative word being 'accessible.' Article content Article content Article content Who at city hall decided the parking lot needed to be reassigned from the parks department to Calgary Parking? Article content Who ruled that $1 million for parking lot improvements was too much for Calgary taxpayers to bear? With an estimated population of 1.6 million people, this comes to an average one-time payment of 62.5 cents per person. That would be $2.50 for a family of four. Article content There will be ongoing costs for upkeep, but this should be part of the basic function of a city — functions for which we should share the burden? Article content Article content The proposed parking fee is limited to the north parking lot. But without also charging for the Edworthy Park south lot on the other side of Bow River, the city risks causing heightened demand for parking at the other, much smaller parking space. Article content And what of the potential side-effects for the neighbourhoods near the park on both side of the river, some of which already have limited parking hours for street parking? Article content The proposed parking charges at Edworthy Park would be less of an imposition if it were possible to easily get there without having to use a car.
CTV News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Victoria Day in Calgary: What's open and closed over May long weekend
Here's a look at what's open and what's closed in Calgary over the Victoria Day long weekend: Calgary Transit Calgary Transit says buses, CTrains and On Demand service will operate with a Sunday level of service on Victoria Day (Monday, May 19). From Saturday until Tuesday morning, all downtown LRT stations will be closed (from Sunalta to Bridgeland/Memorial on the Blue Line and from Sunnyside to 39 Avenue on the Red Line) for maintenance and utility work. Seventh Avenue will be closed to not only CTrains, but also busses. Instead, shuttle buses will replace train service, using parallel routing along both Sixth Avenue and Ninth Avenue. Buses will replace Blue Line service between Bridgeland/Memorial and Westbrook stations, and there will be a separate Blue Line shuttle for travel to Sunalta Station. For information on fares, schedules and service changes, you can visit Calgary parking There will be free parking in on-street ParkPlus zones on Victoria Day. Weekend rates apply at all Calgary Parking parkades and surface lots. Regular parking rates will be in effect at partner lots such as the Calgary Stampede, Telus Spark, Calgary Zoo and Heritage Park. Landfills All three Calgary landfills will be open on Victoria Day. The East Calgary Landfill will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Spyhill Landfill and Shepard Landfill will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Calgary recreation centres Indoor pools, fitness centres and arenas will be closed on Victoria Day. Leisure centres Village Square Leisure Centre will be closed on Victoria Day. The hours for Saturday and Sunday are listed on the City of Calgary's website. Southland Leisure Centre will be closed on Victoria Day. The hours for Saturday and Sunday are listed on the City of Calgary's website. Free swimming There will be free swimming on Victoria Day from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 4:30 p.m. at these locations: Bob Bahan Aquatic & Fitness Centre; Killarney Aquatic & Recreation Centre; and, Thornhill Aquatic & Recreation Centre. Devonian Gardens Devonian Gardens, located in the Core Shopping Centre, is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Victoria Day. It's hours on Saturday and Sunday can be seen on The Core's website. City of Calgary art centres The Wildflower Arts Centre and North Mount Pleasant Arts Centre will be closed on Victoria Day.
Calgary Herald
14-05-2025
- Calgary Herald
May long weekend in Calgary: What's open and closed
May long weekend is almost here, and Calgary weather forecasts are calling for a mix of sunny and cloudy days. Article content Article content Victoria Day is observed on Monday, May 19 this year. The day is a federal stat holiday honouring Queen Victoria. Article content Elementary and high school students will be out of school on May 16 and May 19, and most major banks will be closed on May 19. Article content Other city services and businesses will be operating with limited or adjusted hours. Article content Article content Article content Calgary Transit: Buses, CTrains and On Demand will operate on a Sunday level of service on Victoria Day. Use Calgary Transit's trip planner to see transit schedules. The Calgary Transit call centre and customer service centre will both be closed on Victoria Day. Article content Article content Also, there will be no CTrain service in downtown Calgary and other nearby stations due to maintenance. Article content Parking: On-street parking in all ParkPlus zones will be free on Victoria Day. The Calgary Parking contact centre and customer service centre will be closed on the holiday. Weekend rates apply at Calgary Parking parkades and surface lots. Article content Leisure centres: Bob Bahan, Killarny and Thornhill leisure centres will be open on Victoria Day with special hours, offering free public swimming from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m. All other leisure centres will be closed on the holiday. Article content Article content Malls: CF Chinook Centre and CF Market Mall will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Victoria Day, CrossIron Mills will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunridge and Southcentre malls will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Core will be open 12 to 5 p.m. Article content Attractions: Telus Spark Science Centre will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Calgary Zoo/Wilder Institute will be open with regular hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Heritage Park Historical Village opens for the season on May 17 and will operate on the holiday Monday. Article content Western Canada's largest outdoor amusement park opens for the season on Victoria Day weekend. Calaway Park is offering a brand new ride this year, the Riptide Racer, as well as a new restaurant, Riptide Grill. Also new in 2025 is a family-friendly water balloon fight. The park opens for the season on May 17 at 10 a.m.
CBC
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Calgary cyclists concerned with Edworthy paid parking plan
Social Sharing The City of Calgary's plan to renovate Edworthy Park's north parking lot and implement paid parking to recoup the cost has left members of the cycling community concerned. Located in northwest Calgary, Edworthy Park has long been a staple for cycling enthusiasts, and changes to the accessibility of parking there could be problematic, explained Doug Clark, president of cycling non-profit Bike Calgary. "If they start charging for it, is that actually the right thing to do? Is it going to encourage people to re-evaluate the way they move around the city and choose more sustainable, more overall cost-effective ways of doing it?" Clark, a frequent visitor to Edworthy Park, suggested that cyclists may be dissuaded from parking at the lot or even incorporating cycling into their schedule if parking is no longer free. Designated 'Park and Bike' site The popular north Edworthy parking lot is one of the city's seven designated Calgary Park and Bike sites. People commuting by both car and bike are encouraged to park at one of the sites to avoid fees for downtown parking while getting exercise and minimizing traffic congestion on their way downtown. The locations are five to eight kilometres from the core. "At least part of that trip is a healthy and a sustainable way to move around the city. So certainly I don't want to do anything that discourages that ability to offer those transportation choices," said Clark. However, he added, implementing paid parking at the Edworthy lot is an extra cost for cyclists that contradicts the city's intent for commuters to save on paid parking downtown. According to the city, the proposed development includes resurfacing the pothole-ridden gravel lot along with installing designated parking spaces, better drainage, new lighting, EV chargers and a machine to pay for parking, for an approximate cost of $1 million. "That's going to come out of taxpayers' pockets," said Clark. "Is that really the best way to spend the money? Are we sort of complicating the issue in terms of incentivizing the right kind of transportation choices that people take in the city?" Paid parking to recoup development costs Terry Wong, councillor for Ward 7, said the city first began moving forward on the parking lot project early in April due in part to concerns brought up by property owners. "We're not doing this to dissuade people from riding their bicycles," he said. "We're doing this to create more, much more functionality in the park, in the parking lot, for different people to use it." He noted that the Edworthy lot project is still in the early stages of development and that Calgary Parking is exploring a number of options, such as offering a few hours of free parking prior to charging, offering a monthly rate or having designated paid parking areas. "Any parking infrastructure to put in has to be cost recovered somehow, so that's where the paid parking comes in," said Wong. Calgary resident Sara Mills, who regularly parks and bikes from the Edworthy lot on her way downtown, says she doesn't mind the parking lot not being paved. She would rather not have to pay for parking as a consequence of the planned development. "I think this is a really great place to have free parking and encourages people to ride their bikes and stay active and commute to work in alternative ways other than driving," said Mills. "Because I find that is very common, driving in Calgary, and it's not super accessible in the city to ride bikes in a lot of ways. So I think having this really does encourage that." Construction could start by spring 2026, pending construction permit approval.
CBC
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Calgary plans to pave pothole-ridden Edworthy Park lot, then charge for parking
The City of Calgary plans to pave the north parking lot at Edworthy Park at the end of Shaganappi Trail N.W., which it says is plagued with potholes, drainage issues and dust. And to recoup the cost — and help manage growing demand — the city also plans to start charging to park in the lot. "We always design it into a new lot, but, and we certainly want to be upfront with Calgarians that the payment is something that is potential for the site for sure, but we would not introduce anything until we've actually constructed anything," said Robb Whyte, coordinator of planning and operations for Calgary Parking. He says the land recently went from being managed by the City of Calgary's parks department to its mobility unit, which includes Calgary Parking. That change in management, as well as ongoing maintenance costs and increased usage, put these plans and a development permit in motion. It includes a resurfaced lot, designated parking spaces, better drainage, new lighting, EV chargers and a machine to charge for parking — all of which Whyte says would cost roughly $1 million. Whyte says the most likely scenario would be to allow a period of free parking — two hours for example — and then charge a fee after that, which he says could amount to about a dollar per hour. He says that revenue would help recover some of the city's costs and also ensure people are using the lot appropriately. "People who use the park for a long time, whether they're commuting or parking and walking into the neighbourhood, that certainly adds to the amount of parking demand that we have in the area, and pricing is one of these tools that we can use help to address that," said Whyte. Cathy Jacobs, who owns Angels Cafe in Edworthy park, says it's a rough ride reaching her cafe, and on a busy day people park haphazardly and block traffic. So she welcomes the prospect of a paved lot with designated spots. But she disagrees with the idea of charging people to use it. Instead, she has suggested three hours of free parking. "Because I get a lot of seniors that do walking down here … and by the time they make it back ... I just have a hard time with knowing that there's people paying to go to a park." Greenspace concerns Nearby residents say they are concerned about the potential loss of greenspace, if the city proceeds with another part of its development permit application. It includes plans to resurface park land east of the main lot, closer to the Point McKay condos, to create overflow parking. "We have bought here because of the beauty of this landscape area, we're looking at the river, and now with these plans it doesn't make sense, " said Point McKay resident Luis Narvaez. But Whyte says those plans are only a design exercise and he doesn't expect to construct an overflow parking lot for several years, if at all, depending on demand. "We would have to see a significant increase in parking demand to be able to justify adding the extra stalls," said Whyte. For now Whyte says the city plans to re-seed the area, which was torn up last year for some underground utility work. Still, these future plans are unsettling to Narvaez, who says residents were caught off guard. "It will be great if they come forward and be clear, tell us what is the present project ... and whatever is future. Let's do it properly," said Narvaez. Information sessions Whyte says the city has been meeting with residents in the area over the past couple of weeks. And he says city staff are hosting information and feedback sessions at the park and in the Parkdale community in the coming weeks: May 5: 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the park, east of Angel's Cafe. May 9: 5-7:00 p.m. at the park, east of Angel's Cafe. May 28: 5-7:00 p.m. at the Nifty Fifties Seniors Association at Parkdale Community Hall. "We certainly want to reassure everyone it's actually just on the existing footprint and we're not looking at removing parts of the river or Edworthy Park, which at a very quick glance, it might look like," said Whyte.
