Lorraine Koop’s backyard — and what lies beyond it — has undergone dramatic changes since her family moved into the Abbeydale home 33 years ago.
“The noise level from Stoney Trail has greatly impacted the quality of our life,” said Koop. “There used to be cows and coyotes back there.”
And while she recognizes that cities aren’t stagnant spaces, she and many of her neighbours are adamantly opposed to the construction of an extended Memorial Drive.
“If Memorial Drive gets pumped through, I’ll have four more lanes right behind my property.”
For now, the concrete ends abruptly just east of 68th Street. But the city’s plan has long been to extend Memorial Drive, providing access to the growing suburb of Belvedere on the east side of Stoney Trail.
“We are expecting about 60,000 people to live ultimately in the Belvedere area structural plan and 10,000 to 15,000 jobs to be taking place there,” said Zoran Carkic, a senior transportation engineer with the City of Calgary.
The project didn’t receive construction funding in the current city budget, but the area councillor suggests the timeline may be bumped up.
“We initially visualized (it) not being within our five-year capital program,” said Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot. “Based on the accelerated growth on the east side of the city, I expect it may start falling within that five-year timeline.”
Many in the community have raised concerns about the loss of the existing green space as part of the project. But some do welcome the change.
“I have a little dog that I take over there every day,” said Abbeydale resident Kevin Warner. “But the park’s not really looked after by anyone anyway.”
“I feel like the green space that’s there, no one really uses it. Or no one uses it to cross from Applewood to Abbeydale. It’s just kind of open space… There’s never really anything going on,” added Applewood Park resident Daniel Rojas.
Chabot points to improved access to existing parks, with plans to expand them and line the boulevard with trees.
The city says it will use feedback from Wednesday’s open house and online engagement to refine the recommended plan, which will be finalized this summer.