The City is moving forward with the Kensington Area Improvements project* and the last round of engagement is now open to gather your final thoughts. Improvements to 2 Ave NW, 3 Ave NW, the Kensington Plaza, and Riley Park will begin construction in Summer 2022.
Previous engagement asked residents to identify where they wanted to see changes the most. That’s how these streets and public spaces were chosen. The final designs focus on the streetscape improvement, traffic calming, and public space projects that residents prioritized in their feedback, along with best practices for complete street design.
At this stage the City is looking to hear what you like about the design and any suggested improvements. The HSCA Mobility Committee is sharing some of our discussion points below as an example of what types of comments are helpful at this stage.
Committee members noted positives such as:
"I like that the curb extensions will slow down traffic and improve visibility of pedestrians."
"Glad the design keeps almost all the parking spaces on 2nd Avenue."
"My kids and I will be safer now biking to Sunnyside School and Kensington."
"The refresh of the plaza with new benches and trees is so overdue."
Committee members also noted room for further improvement such as:
"The 2nd Ave upgrades must continue on 7th Ave to address the issue of cut-through traffic."
"I'd like to see higher visibility crosswalks at the school."
"Ensure the scheduled repaving of 2 Ave lines up with the street improvements and flood work to reduce construction and cost."
"3 Ave should have a wider sidewalk on the south side. It's the main path taken to the LRT."
How to share your support/ feedback: Help build safer and more vibrant spaces in Hillhurst and Sunnyside by sharing your thoughts with The City until April 29th: https://engage.calgary.ca/kensingtonarea In order to view each project click on each tab separately – use the arrows on each side of the images to click through the full slide deck.
*Background on Kensington Area Improvement Project: This project is part of a City program that funds public improvements in communities experiencing significant redevelopment. Residents and the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association (HSCA) have pushed for this type of reinvestment for years. That advocacy is paying off through this project and others such as Bow to Bluff.