My podcast featuring Chris Chiasson has been released, talking about a variety of pedestrian safety and public realm issues, and the politics behind creating or maintaining great, walkable spaces.
Chris brings his experience working with the Cabbagetown Business Improvement Area in Toronto to these issues in Calgary. We talk about the role that local community organizations ideally play in uplifting activists, engaging, and organizing to make a better business environment.
Check it out wherever you get your podcasts!
Summary
The Town of Banff will be dismantling and removing their incredibly popular pedestrian zone on Banff Ave after a 53% to 47% plebiscite result against continuing the summer activation.[1]
Starting as a petition raised earlier this year,[2] the town was bitterly divided as pedestrian and business advocates attempted to save the pedestrian zone, while the opposition brought a variety of cynical perspectives:[3]
From the lead organizersâ perspectiveâwhat Chris calls âpass-the-buckâ democracyâto ârethinkâ pedestrianization after neighbouring residential communities experienced redirected traffic flow.[4] To disinformation that the pedestrian zone poses a safety hazard in the case of emergency.[5]
In both cases⌠we know that cars are the real problem here, and that trains[6] are the real solution.
Things are, at least, not so heartbreaking in the rest of the Bow Valley.
Canmore is quickly turning into a case study for public realm improvement done right, with their pedestrian zone reported to have nearly 90% public support.[7] Chris, of course, has been hard at work here in Calgary to organize an Open Streets pilot for 17th Avenue SW.
As of posting, the Beltline Neighbourhoods Associationâs survey is open for feedback,[8] with 17th Ave expected to be closed to most vehicle traffic in Summer 2025.
See also: 17th-ave
ActivateYYC is rebooting their Park(ing) Day program[9] and are currently receiving submissions for installations within the Kensington BIA on the September 20-22nd weekend!
aaand the City of Calgary will be engaging this fall about both the new Zoning Bylaw, and Street Manual.[10] The latter of which is mostly technical, but is expected to contain information that is important to successful implementation of pedestrian or cycling-friendly measures.