Pedestrianizing Calgary's 17th Avenue 'totally possible': former city planner

Pedestrianizing Southwest 17th Avenue also encourages alternative modes of transportation in the city, such as public transportation and bicycling.

Similar initiatives have been taken in Montreal. This year, city officials say more than nine kilometers of Montreal streets will be pedestrianized for the summer, and 2,100 businesses will be within walking distance. The city is also investing $12 million over the next three years in a pedestrian zone initiative with financial assistance from the Quebec government.

“Pedestrian streets are good, but they also bring more people to enjoy the streets and enjoy the city in a different way during the summer,” said Valérie Plante, mayor of Montreal.

“Our public spaces are usually used as we design them. “For decades we've been thinking about public spaces, roads, some of the biggest public spaces in the city that are just for traffic and ignore any other potential use,” Chiasson said. said.

“By de-prioritizing these streets for pedestrians, visitors and vehicles, we are inviting new people to the area. We would support other uses for your Suzuki other than going fast.”

However, the 17th Avenue BIA said it did not support the proposal, saying it would hurt local businesses in the area.

In an email to Global News on Thursday, BIA Executive Director Thulen Stajestol said the association has committed more than $1 million to “enhance pedestrian appeal and convenience” for all who visit Southwest 17th Avenue.

Stajestohl also said the BIA has been a “vocal champion” of the City of Calgary's commitment to upgrade sidewalks and infrastructure along the business strip, and that the $40 million multi-year project will be completed this fall.

“Businesses don't want to see money spent on programming to close roads that aren't accessible to their businesses,” Stejestol said. “If road closures are good for business, why is the City of Calgary now paying all businesses in Marda Loop and Bridgeland $5,000 for business interruption due to road closures?”

But Chiasson says he wants the BIA and the City of Calgary to work together to find solutions, including improving public transportation in the area.

“I would say Calgary Transit does a great job of finding efficient and affordable routing solutions given the temporary closures on various streets … I have a lot of confidence in this organization, as any agency would develop rerouting plans that are effective. Meeting the needs of transit riders in Calgary,” he said.

8th district. Courtney Walcott said the petition was reasonable and balanced. Walcott told Global News that he has spoken with the 17th Avenue BIA and the Beltline Neighborhood Association (BNA) and that the proposal to temporarily close the thoroughfare for the special weekend is a good start.

“It's not a new conversation and it's ongoing to try to get everyone on board. There is a possible solution here,” Walcott said.

“The last conversation I had with the BIA (board of directors) was that we should have an opportunity to explore what a possible solution would be, knowing that this is something the community is calling for. It benefits both business and society in one space. (BIA) was on board to explore and that's what we're going through now.”

But Walcott said a plan to improve sidewalks and transit in the area would delay that proposal for at least another year.

The city plans to replace all sidewalks along Southwest 17th Avenue, a move that has been delayed since 2020 when restaurants in the area built sidewalk plazas to recoup money lost in the early years of the pandemic. Significant construction will limit what visitors and residents can do in the area, Walcott said.

The city also plans to install new bike lanes on 14th and Southwest 15th avenues this summer, thanks to a $10 million investment from the federal government and the city.

“We're approaching construction season where we'll be putting in new active transportation right in the middle of the Beltline. The reason this is important is that if we were to pursue pedestrian streets on any given weekend, these areas under construction would also (this year) be detours for cars and traffic. All of these things need to be carefully managed together to make sure we have the ability to create detours,” Walcott said.

“This means the Beltline will significantly improve the way people travel through active transportation.”

Walcott acknowledged that the construction would be a big challenge for businesses in the area, but further delaying the project would not bode well for the neighborhood's long-term outlook.

“We have been delaying this project for years to avoid damaging business. “The reality is that at some point we've got to get in there and get construction done, and we've got to get it done as soon as possible so it's going to be successful in the long run, and there's always going to be future construction and delays,” he said.

A spokesperson for the City of Calgary told Global News via email that it is aware of public conversations about closing Southwest 17th Avenue to vehicles. However, the city has not received specific applications.

“When we receive such requests, we consider many factors, including the impact on emergency services, adjacent streets and communities, local businesses and residents, accessibility, transit services, parking and the overall mobility network,” the spokesperson said.

Consulting urban planner Brent Toderian told Global News on Friday that Chiasson's proposal was “simple” and completely doable, adding that the area is closed to traffic for special occasions like the Lilac Festival.

Toderian previously worked for the City of Calgary as the Central City Planning Project Manager and led the creation of the City of Calgary's Central City Plan, which includes the Beltline area. He said 17th Avenue Southwest is a good place to launch Chiasson's proposed pilot because it's surrounded by walkable residents and lots of places to visit, like restaurants and local businesses.

However, he said the City of Calgary and the BIA should learn from other cities around the world to ensure the pilot is a success. In the case of Montreal, the city didn't just close off areas to cars, it replaced them with “activity and energy.”

“The number one mistake cities make is to block off a street and hope that people will come and see it as just a place to walk… It's not about a walkable city. It's not about walking as a vehicle. It's about creating and creating places that people want to come to,” Toderian said.

“You have to take a space that used to be filled with cars and fill it with things—temporary things or seasonal things, or permanent things if the transformation is permanent.”

Toderian dismissed the DIA's idea that walkouts hurt business. Studies have shown that pedestrian-friendly spaces and walkable spaces can be created if the prerequisites are met (walking population, designated routes, etc.).

“Let's face it, many businesses will thrive with this change and some may not, as there are always winners and losers in retail and trade. But in general, if you do it well, city after city has shown that business improves. It's good for business,” Toderian said. “If you do it badly, it can hurt business.”

The city planner also dismissed the idea that the Belt Line could not be pedestrianized because Calgary is a car-oriented city. While it's true that Calgary is car-centric, he says the focus should be on neighborhoods that thrive by creating temporary or permanent pedestrian-friendly zones rather than cars.

“This (proposal) is very modest compared to ambitious cities. “I'm not talking about the progressive cities that Calgarians think are so special, I'm talking about American cities, at least Australian cities as dependent on cars as Calgary,” Toderian said.

“Obviously, Calgary is a car-based city, especially outside of downtown. Of course, there will still be cars. No one talks about changing it, but it becomes a false narrative.”

Toderian says Calgary's focus on cars is a major strategic constraint it has brought on itself. He says the city is missing out on social, civic and economic opportunities because it's focused on transportation.

“The lazy talk is that it hurts business and we're too pro-car. Those are both lazy narratives that have held Calgary back,” he said.

“Cars are Calgary's kryptonite when it comes to thinking outside the box, because cars are used too often to prevent us from trying something smarter and better.

“The city Calgary built has always had much greater potential than the narrative Calgary uses to justify itself.”

– With files from Leora Scherzer, Global News.