Neighbour Day Events in Hillhurst Sunnyside

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community | Neighbour Day Happenings June 15th

Neighbour day is coming up on June 15th and there are so many exciting things happening in Hillhurst Sunnyside for you to enjoy! See below for this year's exciting events and click through the links for more details:

Bowview Pool OPENS- The Bowview Outdoor Swimming pool opens up to the public. Lessons are currently taking registrations!

Community Wide Yard Sales-  9am-2pm between Kensington Road & 5th Ave NW, visit the streets of 10A, 11th, 11A, 12th, and 13th (and beyond??) It’s back! The super-duper, you-won’t-wanna-miss-it: Kensington-Wide Yard-Sale Day! For 18 years (and counting), neighbors have pillaged their attics & storage spaces to find all kinds of interesting things to offer for sale--AND, as an added perk, there are always some young entrepreneurs offering up tasty treats to eat, too.

Sunnyside Park Party- A community-led event at New Edinborough Park from 3-7pm complete with live music, games, baby racing and more! Donations welcome to make this event a success! 

Hillhurst Block Party BBQ- 3-7pm at 1700 Block Bowness Road NW. If you live in Hillhurst come out for some games and food! Donations welcome to make this event a success! 

Framed on Fifth Sidewalk and Backyard Festival-  Framed on Fifth invites you to meet your Calgary area artists.  Chat, watch them work and check out their skills  and finished artworks in front of our gallery and in our open backyard.

Food Forest Pilot Project - Please note this project has been postponed. Stay tuned for future updates.

Memories of a 70 Year Old Community Association

The 70th birthday of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association gives me pause to think back on my 44 year relationship with the community. In 1982 I bought a reprint of a book from the HSCA called Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers by Margaret Tanko. It was simply made with black and white photographs and stories told by members of the community, some who had lived here since the early part of the 20th Century. The book charmed me and became a treasured part of my library.

I have always loved Hillhurst Sunnyside because of its heritage houses, mature trees, vintage lilac bushes, layers of history, diversity of residents and small town feel. As time passes, the community continues to grow and change, but recently these changes have become alarmingly rapid changing the look and feel of the neighbourhood. Residents come and go. Old houses get demolished to make way for condos altering the heritage character. Businesses open and close on 10th Street, 14th Street and Kensington Road.

The land Calgary stands on is the traditional territory of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. This includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Piikani, Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (Chiniki, Bearspaw, Wesley First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. They have been the stewards of our land for thousands of years and continue to maintain a very positive relationship with it.

English and Scottish settlers arrived in this area, now known as Hillhurst and Sunnyside, as homesteaders in the late 1800s. New Edinborough was the name of the suburb created between 10th Street and Centre Street that eventually became Sunnyside. In 1914 it was incorporated into the City of Calgary. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built workers’ cottages in Sunnyside on 25-foot lots and rented them to their employees. Many of these cottages still remain today, although they are quickly disappearing due to development spurred on by City Council priority of densification. In the early days Sunnyside residents took a ferry across the Bow River to get to work at the CPR or the Eau Claire lumber mill. Now we hop on an LRT.

Squatter Felix McHugh staked a claim to homestead on CPR land. The CPR contested it but he was successful in receiving one acre of land through the courts. He built a house at the corner of 9A Street and Memorial Drive, where the green space with a Community garden now exists and the LRT tracks go overhead. McHugh Bluff is named after him.

Ezra Hounsfield Riley was a pioneer rancher and politician who owned the property west of Sunnyside. He also purchased McHugh’s. Eventually Riley sold his property to the City of Calgary and it became Hillhurst, West Hillhurst, Sunnyside and Hounsfield Heights. He donated the land that is now Riley Park to the City of Calgary.

In 1948 the Hillhurst/Sunnyside Community Association was formed. FYI there is no community in Calgary called Kensington, only a shopping district. Under the Municipal Government Act, the City of Calgary developed several Business Revitalization Zones (BRZ) to encourage Calgarians to shop in areas of Calgary that weren’t thriving during the ’80’s. The shopping area at Tenth Street and Kensington Road was first named Louise Crossing, due to its proximity to the Louise (Tenth Street) Bridge, and eventually Kensington Village named after the street. When the BRZ legislation expired in 2016, these areas became Business Improvement Area (BIA) “a group of businesses in a defined geographical area that come together to improve and promote their businesses.” http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Partnership-programs/BRZs.aspx

I am including a photograph of Gleason family in front of my house on Memorial Drive in 1914 when Hillhurst was a new suburb. Michael and his brother James built two houses side by side on lots purchased for $650 each using materials from the Eau Claire lumber mill at a cost of $1,250 each. Taxes were $68.50 a year. The 10th Street steel and girder bridge is in the background. The City of Calgary’s saplings were newly planted and would stand for almost 100 years. The streetscape shows similar houses on small lots with picket fences lining “Westmount Boulevard” (as it was known then).

I peruse my little 24 page Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers book with the stories and photographs so lovingly gathered and assembled by Margaret Tanko and wonder who she was and how the book came to be. When I moved into Sunnyside the HSCA had just fought the city to stop them from turning Memorial Drive into a freeway. Instead Bow Trail was built on the other side of the river. HSCA also slowed the construction of apartment blocks during the ’70’s by insisting that the community preferred homes with yards for families.

Is it time for more stories that document the 40 years since Hillhurst Sunnyside Remembers was published in 1978? Do you remember the protests about the LRT? Shoppers Drug Mart taking over Telstar Drugs? The Saturday School? Communicare? Art classes held at The Heart Studio in the home of Carol Bondaroff and Stan Phelps? Fighting to keep the schools open? The Fall Fair and Parade? Did you witness the fire that destroyed the Ross Kerr Block? Or St John’s Church? The Carpenters’ Hall all ages gigs? Gallery 510 in a Sunnyside garage? Wreck City? Ant Hill Fabrics? The blacksmith shop in the backyard of a Sunnyside resident?

Our community has a rich history with many stories to tell. Do you have stories or photos to share? If you do please contact Patti Dawkins or Lorna Cordeiro c/o Lisa Chong at mailto:planning@hsca.ca

For more information about the 70th Anniversary Celebration at the Community Hall on August 25th, follow this link https://www.hsca.ca/blog/2018/7/24/hsca-turns-70

Article written by Patti Dawkins

Credit for photo is:

The Gleason Family on "The Boulevard" 1914 Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hill

Sunnyside's Out-Door Gallery

Sunnyside is slowly becoming an Out-Door Art Gallery due to all our creativity and the murals popping up on many resident’s garage doors.

Many home owners are painting their own art and coming up with very unique beautiful designs. We have been told: “It is a great family activity and a great way to get to know your neighbours.”

Other home owners are commissioning artists to do magnificent paintings on their garage doors. There is a post with links to many artists’ websites on the Sunnyside Up/East Sunnyside Survivors Facebook Page.

Recently, we had a request from Prospect Human Services to see if there are a group of neighbours who would be willing to hand their garage doors, plus the cost of materials, over to their artists to show off what they can do. Prospect Human Services works with adults with disabilities to participate in collaborative programming in the arts, the outdoors and community volunteering to experientially develop employment skills.

If this is something you would be willing to help support please contact Stephanie Acheson, Program Facilitator at stephanie.acheson@prospectnow.ca

We can't wait to see how your garage door adds to this great collaboration!

Community Safety

Due to a variety of reasons such as the economic downturn and the displacement of vulnerable people from the downtown east side, neighbourhoods closest to the river and along the trains have been experiencing a higher amount of activity.

HSCA hosted a community safety meeting on November 30, 2017 to hear from residents and develop high-level strategy with Constable Glenn Pederson from District 3 Calgary Police Service at the table.  Click on the link here to view the meeting minutes.

What Can I Do?
Volunteer for Your Community

Would you like to get involved with starting a community safety group? We are looking for resident volunteers to take the lead and coordinate community safety initiatives and are eager to hear your ideas. Contact HSCA Vitalization at hscavitalization@gmail.com and cc: lisa.c@hsca.ca if interested.

Connect with Neighbours

Read updates and share information with neighbours via the HSCA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hillhurstsunnyside or the residents’ “Sunnyside Up” Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/431856983579750. You can also form your own street or area-based email list or social media group.

Building Safe Communities

The Federation of Calgary Communities provides free resources and workshops under their Building Safe Communities program. Check out https://calgarycommunities.com/our-services/building-safe-communities for more information.

Fill out a “My Neighbour Card” with your neighbours. Print off a copy and share with neighbours/friends at https://calgarycommunities.com/my-neighbour-card.

Traffic Calming Study Petition

Talk to your neighbours and organize a Traffic Calming Study petition through City of Calgary Transportation – review http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Safety/Community-Studies/Community-Traffic-Studies.aspx and click on Traffic Calming Policy for the petition form.

State the issues clearly in your submission. Once complete, contact HSCA c/o Lisa Chong (lisa.c@hsca.ca) and we will help you with getting final signatures from the HSCA, the ward councillor and the community police liaison for submission.

Note: this is a request for a traffic study through the City Transportation Department and does not guarantee traffic calming measures, which will be determined based on the City’s criteria and budget.

Resources

Calgary Police Service (CPS) District 3 Community Liaison

Sgt. Dave McMath

403-428-6300

dmcmath@calgarypolice.ca

Who to Call and When

Use this guide if you are stuck on when to call 911, CPS non-emergency line, or Downtown Outreach Addictions Program (DOAP) [add link].

City of Calgary 311

Call 311, available 24 hours a day with concerns. Be sure to provide the street address of your inquiry to the operator. You can also submit a ticket online at www.calgary.ca/311 or the mobile app, Calgary 311. 311 requests are tracked and forwarded to the appropriate City department and helps City Hall determine where to allocate resources and funding.

Calgary Parking Authority

To report a parking issue or an illegally parked vehicle, phone 403-537-7000.

January Community & Planning Development Update

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Planning Committee (HSPC) is made up of community residents and works to respond to planning and development applications in the community. HSPC aims to support the Hillhurst Sunnyside Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) and to provide information and engage neighbours throughout the planning process. Visit https://hsca-community-planning.mn.co/ for the latest community planning news.

HSPC meets every second Tuesday at the community centre. Due to timing, please note that our January 9, 2018 meeting has been cancelled. Please join us at our next meeting on Tuesday February 13 from 7-9pm. We are expecting an update from Anthem Properties on the redevelopment of the former CBC/Radio Canada site at 1724 Westmount Boulevard NW. All residents are welcome whether you are a new or existing resident, rent or own your home. Come learn about what’s happening in the community and meet your neighbours! You can find a copy of the agenda and past minutes at www.hsca.ca/meetings.

Royal Bank Site Redevelopment | 413 10th St NW

Graywood Developments has submitted a Land Use Amendment (rezoning) application for the RBC site. This site was allocated the greatest height in the ARP Transit Oriented Development policy (32 metres or 9-10 storeys) and a maximum Floor Area Ratio of 5.0. There is specific policy in the ARP for urban mixed-use development (including ground floor retail and residential). The residential portion could add approximately 100-120 units to the community. The developer will still need to rezone the site to the ARP height/FAR and are seeking a MU-2 (Mixed Use - Active Frontage) zoning designation.

This application will go through the City planning process; residents are invited to submit comments on the rezoning application to the City File Manager at steve.jones2@calgary.ca (please quote LOC2017-0393). This is a Concurrent Application; the Development Permit (plans for the building and site) will be expected in the coming months. Public engagement is also expected in early 2018.

As this is a gateway location, we would strongly expect to see a design that complements and enhances the human scale of the neighbourhood, the public realm around the building and pedestrian experience. Based on preliminary discussions, HSPC believes that the biggest obstacle will be traffic; it is not possible to turn left from Gladstone Road (already a difficult through-road) onto 10th Street and traffic will go through the residential part of the community.

As for coordination with Stonebriar on the neighbouring LifeSport redevelopment project to the north, based on our information, the sale of the building has fallen through and there is no proposal at this time.

Former CBC/Radio-Canada Site | 1724 Westmount Blvd NW

Anthem Properties (also the developer for the condo project at 1134-1160 Memorial Drive NW) is currently in the process of an internal review of the redevelopment. Anthem’s representatives informed us that they have met with the immediate neighbours across the alley from the site to discuss their project. Please join us at the February 13th HSPC meeting at 7pm to hear updates on this project.

Read residents’ aspirations for the site at http://bit.ly/HSCA_CBC_Engagement.

Russell Red “Glo” Project | 916-926 2nd Avenue NW

At the time of writing, amended DP plans responding to the City Detailed Team Review and community input has been received and will have gone through a second-round review from the City. The DP will go forward to Calgary Planning Commission for their final decision.

The development will still need to go through City Council to approve the zoning and to ensure that the amended plans comply with Council’s direction for a building that fits better with the established neighbourhood. While some positive changes were made, and the land use district fits the ARP maximums, it is still a large 5-storey building surrounding by historic houses and multi-family homes.

Read more on the developer’s website at www.2avenw.ca.

Sunnyside Grocery Redevelopment | 802 2nd Avenue NW

Sunnyside Sustainable Living has submitted a rezoning application to allow for a 6-unit townhouse style project; the City will review community comments and will deliver their recommendation to Calgary Planning Commission and City Council in the near future. A DP is expected soon. Visit www.sunnysideliving.ca to see the concept and read more about the proposal.

Truman Condo Project | 922, 926, 928 Memorial Drive

The City approval of the Development Permit for this project was recently appealed by neighbours and supported by the HSCA. While it is an attractive building, the HSPC had several concerns with the approved land use height/FAR so far above the ARP policy and the fact that community input did not influence the final building height.

Due to jurisdiction, the Appeal Board could not hear about the rezoning, ARP amendment and engagement and only that the DP follows the direction of the Direct Control bylaws that were approved by Council in Sept 2017. The DP was partially denied with some compromises:

·       Removing the trees from the west side of the site and replacing at the developer’s expense.

·       Remove glazing from west side of the main floor to prevent light pollution

·       Future consultations with 934 Memorial re: transition at property line

·       Removal of light over garage door.

·       Addition of access gates on the roof top amenity space to ease privacy concerns to adjacent homes.

Thank you to those involved with this project and for your time writing letters. You can read the decision document at https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/absdab/ and search “SDAB2017-0091”. See www.engagememorial.com to view the developer’s website.

Bow to Bluff Update

Bow to Bluff is a citizen-initiated project to improve the triangular parks and linear space next to the LRT line, improve safety, connections, and create a great public gathering spaces between the Bow River and McHugh Bluff. Click to see the December 2017 B2B Public Realm Plan - Design Update and keep updated at http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Locations/Downtown-parks/Bow-to-Bluff-Urban-Design-Framework.aspx. Funding is available to implement a part of the project this year.

January 29, 2018 Flood Information Session

The City of Calgary is hosting an event to provide information on flood mitigation projects underway: three pump stations (one under construction, one at DP stage and the last one in design stage) and on the Upper Plateau Separation project.

Please join us on Monday January 29, 2018 from 7-9pm at the HSCA to learn more about the various flood mitigation projects, ask questions, or get involved and volunteer for the HSCA Emergency Planning & Response Committee.

Vendome Socials Planning Session

The Vitalization Committee would like to invite all interested residents to come and help plan monthly neighbour socials for the community. Come out to Vendome Café to be a part of the fun on Thursday January 11 from 6:30pm to 8pm.