Latest news with #Pikani
Global News
21-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
Council to mull new north central Calgary neighbourhood instead of business park
A new neighbourhood with thousands of homes could be in the works in north central Calgary, with the city pivoting from plans for a business park in the area. The area structure plan is called Naato'siyinnipi, named after a revered Pikani elder and ceremonial leader who lived from 1830 until 1910. The plan proposes up to 7,300 new homes and 5,700 jobs on 578 acres of land between Harvest Hills Boulevard N.E. and the CPKC tracks near Deerfoot Trail. It marks a pivot from the city's original plan for the site, which was titled the Aurora Business Park Structure Plan, with much of the area slated for commercial use. 'Segmented and completely a business park – I don't know if that's really in the books right now,' said Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who chairs the city's Infrastructure and Planning committee. 'The business park wasn't something that could move forward.' Story continues below advertisement The area is bordered by 96 Avenue N.E., Beddington Trail N.W., Harvest Hills Boulevard N., and the railway to the east. View image in full screen The 578 acre site included in the proposed Naato'siyinnipi Area Structure Plan. Global News According to Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian, who represents the area, residential development is possible on the site due to changes to the Airport Vicinity Protection Area, which previously only allowed industrial development in that area. 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 plan proposes different groupings of mixed-use buildings, multi-residential and ground-oriented development, with plans for an emergency response centre, community activity centre and a future high school. City officials envision the future neighbourhood as a transit-oriented development, with a nearby bus rapid transit route, and plans for a future Green Line LRT station, as well as a future airport connector line. However, plans to extend the Green Line LRT north from the downtown may still be many years away. Story continues below advertisement 'There aren't that many places within my ward where you can walk to a grocery store, walk to shops and have your house and get on transit,' Mian said. 'I'm excited for its potential.' Not everyone is sharing in that enthusiasm over the future of the site, which is largely a natural green space. Andrew Yule, formerly the president of the Nose Creek Preservation Society who is now running for city council to replace the outgoing Mian, has reservations about the size of the plans and its potential impacts on the area. 'We are in a housing crisis so having residential does make sense,' Yule told Global News. 'My concern with the plan is it's too large, the area is too large and we should be condensing it closer to where potential transit will be.' According to Yule, there are concerns about development near the Nose Creek watershed, and impacts on the wildlife, as well as disturbances to historical sites in the area related to the Blackfoot Confederacy. 'It is our only naturalized green space in Ward 3 and so what we're trying to do is protect as much of it as we can,' Yule said. In response, Mian pointed to 87 hectares of non-developable environmental reserve land, and green space in the plan. Story continues below advertisement Although development on the site could be decades away, Mian noted the unique location and how infrastructure requirements in the area are less than other greenfield development on the outskirts of the city. 'We're not having to bring services in that weren't there before like we have to do when we're building on the edge of the city,' she said. 'But we're also not disrupting people like we do in the downtown, so I think it's a happy compromise and I think there's a lot of opportunity for some really good development here.' The city's Infrastructure and Planning Committee unanimously endorsed the area structure plan, which will now go to city council as a whole in September for a final say.
CBC
21-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
City of Calgary and Blackfoot Confederacy reach protocol agreement
The City of Calgary has reached what could be its first protocol agreement with an Indigenous organization. The Blackfoot Confederacy made a request to the office of Mayor Jyoti Gondek in 2023, seeking a memorandum of understanding or protocol agreement. Once city council approved going ahead with discussions, the two parties started talking. Such agreements outline how the two sides will engage with each other and work toward establishing a collaborative relationship. The government of Alberta has reached three such agreements with Indigenous groups. The City of Calgary says protocol agreements are legally non-binding. Each agreement can vary, depending on the aspirations of the parties, areas of joint interest and the conditions for meetings. The CEO of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Carol Mason, attended Thursday's meeting of city council's intergovernmental affairs committee. She said the organization is excited about reaching an agreement and moving ahead working with the city. "We've always had relationships with the City of Calgary, but to further that and continue the growth of that is really important and vital for partnerships," said Mason. The Blackfoot Confederacy represents the Siksika, Pikani and Blood First Nations who are Treaty 7 signatories as well as the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. Mayor Gondek was on hand for the discussion. She said reaching the agreement is a historic step. "It has taken us a number of years to build the relationships and particularly the trust, that we are serious about reconciliation to get to this point," said the mayor. Gondek added that she's looking forward to reaching similar agreements with other Indigenous groups. The city has also received requests to negotiate protocol agreements from the Tsuut'ina Nation and the Bearspaw Nation. The intergovernmental affairs committee approved the memorandum of understanding on Thursday. It will go to city council at an upcoming meeting in April for discussion. If it approves the agreement, the city says a pipe ceremony and a signing of the deal will be scheduled for later this year with Blackfoot chiefs and elders.
