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Global News
6 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Council unanimously supports zoning change at former CBC property despite concerns
A change to the zoning at the former CBC property along Memorial Drive was unanimously approved by Calgary city council on Wednesday, despite concerns from nearby residents over soil contamination. The decision follows a more than two-hour public hearing late Tuesday evening that saw debate carry into the spillover session on Wednesday afternoon. The site, at 1706 Westmount Blvd. N.W., was the former home of the CBC for 50 years but was purchased by Anthem Properties in 2016 and has sat vacant since. Originally set to be a townhouse complex, Anthem Properties is proposing three multi-residential buildings ranging from four to six storeys and close to 270 units. While those opposed to the development argued there would be impacts to street parking, traffic and shadowing, one of the main concerns brought to council was around creosote contamination. Story continues below advertisement The concern amongst some residents was development of a partially-underground parkade on the site would disturb the toxic chemical. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The human health risk assessments that were done back in 2022 didn't consider the pathways of exposure which this development may cause,' said Jim Stirling, a retired petroleum engineer who spoke on behalf of residents in West Hillhurst. Creosote was discovered under the northwest Calgary community after seeping under the Bow River from a former wood treatment plant that operated for nearly 40 years on the west end of the city's downtown. According to a five-year monitoring program from the province, there are no concerns to human health when compared to human health guidelines. A containment wall and groundwater collection system was built on the south bank of the Bow River in 1995 to prevent further seepage, according to the province, and its been under the City of Calgary's management since 1997 with ongoing monitoring since 2004. Anthem said it has a risk management plan that has been approved by the Government of Alberta, and the creosote is seven metres below ground within the bedrock. 'The risk management plan really outlines a number of exposure control methods, monitoring, reporting protocols and will endure with the land,' said Rose-Mary Damiani with Anthem Properties. Story continues below advertisement 'So that does provide confidence for the community and some security around management of the site.' However, some city councillors felt the developer's plans to mitigate creosote risks were satisfactory to allow the zoning change. 'When it comes to things like this, I think there are different tolerances for risk and risk management and I can appreciate why members of the community might have absolutely zero risk tolerance,' Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian said in her debate. 'I think we have good regulations set out to manage different concerns an it seems like all of those have been met.' Stirling noted he was 'flabbergasted' by council's decision after urging them to pause the process for further study. 'I'm not saying people were wrong in their assessments, what I'm saying is the public haven't yet had answers to legitimate questions because the process has been very deliberately steered towards getting development going here,' he said. A development permit for the site is still under review but if approved, the developer plans to start construction at the site next year.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Rezoning debate reignites fears over contamination at former CBC Calgary site
A redevelopment in Hillhurst is causing some concern among residents. Mason DePatie has details. Concerns over soil contamination are taking centre stage at Calgary city hall as council considers a controversial inner-city redevelopment in Hillhurst. During Tuesday's meeting, city council will decide on changing the land use designation for 1706 Westmount Blvd. N.W. It's the former site of the former CBC building, which has sat vacant for several years. Rezoning debate reignites fears over contamination at former CBC Calgary site Residents in Hillhurst are concerned about creosote contamination from a redevelopment, but the area councillor says there is no danger. Anthem Properties is looking to build a 269-unit apartment complex on the site, requiring the lot to be changed to a District Control District allowing multi-residential development. While residents do have some concerns about the complex, the main issue is what would be buried beneath it. Decades ago, a wood treatment plant operated across the Bow River, leaving behind creosote contamination that seeped under the river. The province filed a report in 2022 that found contamination at the Westmount site is mostly confined to the south portion of the lot and does not pose a risk through inhalation. But with construction on the horizon, the report does little to quell the nerves of those who live nearby. Jim Stirling, a Hillhurst resident and engineer by trade, is concerned that the excavation will stir up the creosote. 'What we're asking for is that they suspend the land use approval and appoint an independent panel to study the evidence that we've gathered to demonstrate our concerns,' he said. Rezoning debate reignites fears over contamination at former CBC Calgary site Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong said he has heard from dozens of concerned community members about the issue. 'We've been advised by Alberta Environment that there is not a great risk,' he said. 'Most of that creosote is buried very, very deep in the bedrock, and a significant amount of clay above it and the water table. So again, disturbance of the creosote shouldn't be a problem.' Anthem Properties previously told CTV News that it would need to dig about three metres deep to build its single-storey parkade, leaving 1.2 metres above ground. It also notes that it has a risk management plan that includes testing, reporting, monitoring, and an exposure control protocol. If council approves the rezoning, construction could begin as early as next summer, with completion expected in 2028.
