An open house was held on the evening of Tuesday, April 24 at the Village Village Bible College. The open house was sponsored by Dundee Development Corporation and was attended by approximately 120 people. Dundee is the developer promoting the Chapel Grove land use and development application now before the City of Calgary. We wish to stress this is still a proposal – it has not yet been approved for development by City Council. During the open house, other than the proponents, not a single person in attendance openly voiced their support for Dundee’s Chapel Grove proposal.

On display was Dundee’s scale model of their proposed development along with a number of concept plans, schematics and maps depicting the proposed residential and commercial plan for the area. Greg Brown, of Brown and Associates Planning Group, and Ken Reashor, a transportation consultant, both made presentations on behalf of Dundee describing the overall planning concept and proposed transportation staging plan for the area. A number of representatives from both Dundee Development Corporation (including Mike Cowie, VP Calgary Land) and Brown and Associates were also present at the open house. In addition, a representative of Costco also made a presentation that evening.

During the question and answer session, the overriding concern expressed by those in attendance related to the overall impact on future traffic volumes through the Valley Ridge Boulevard and Trans Canada Highway interchange. According to a traffic impact study conducted by Finn Transportation Consultants on behalf of Dundee, Mr. Reashor indicated the impact of the proposed development would add approximately 55,000 trips per day through the Valley Ridge interchange. This is in addition to the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 trips per day, which the full build-out of Valley Ridge will eventually generate, via the interchange. Currently, the Valley Ridge interchange handles approximately 5,000 to 10,000 trips per day from the Valley Ridge community, which is now approximately 50-60% complete. The City confirmed that once 101^st Street is closed, all traffic from the Chapel Grove and Crestmont area, including KOA traffic, will exit via the Valley Ridge interchange. Long term plans call for the interchange to be reconstructed and upgraded to support the ultimate traffic volumes expected from the north and south side of the interchange.

Consistent with discussion from the March 17 Valley Ridge residents meeting held at the VR Golf Course and Conference Centre, the magnitude and extent of the Chapel Grove proposal relative to the existing Calgary West Area Structure Plan (ASP) was of critical concern to Valley Ridge residents. The City of Calgary Planning Department’s analysis of the existing Calgary West ASP demonstrates that the Chapel Grove Proposal includes plans for a greater than three-fold increase in the number of residential units relative to the existing ASP (1,148 units: Dundee vs. 380 units: approved ASP). The proposal also includes a greater than two-fold increase in the commercial / retail space relative to the existing ASP space (398,000 sq. ft.: Dundee vs. 150,000 sq. ft.: approved ASP). This represents a significant increase in intensity from the current ASP. Mr. Brown’s response to questions on this issue was that the Calgary West Area Structure Plan was a matter of interpretation, and that Dundee / Brown did not agree with the City’s analysis.

The representative from Costco faced many difficult questions from residents including concerns regarding adequate parking, and access / egress to and from the site. Of particular interest was the timing and number of daily trucks entering and leaving Costco. The audience was informed that approximately 12 large trucks, 6-7 of which will be semi-trailers / 18-wheelers, are expected to enter and leave the area each day. These vehicles would enter and leave between the hours of 7a.m and 9 a.m. each morning, coincident with school buses and high volume commuter traffic. Residents were also very concerned regarding emergency vehicle access entering and exiting Valley Ridge (fire, police, and ambulance) in the event of an accident at the Valley Ridge interchange.

Numerous questions and discussion by attendees indicated serious concern with the proposed planning concept as a whole in that it is entirely inappropriate for the area under consideration. Existing Costco locations within Calgary are situated in heavy warehouse-district areas and / or within dense commercial developments. Dundee’s attempt to integrate a "Big-Box" outlet with a people-friendly, mountain-style retail facility and a residential development was not viewed as a compatible land use for the area in question. Concerns were also expressed regarding the impact of the development on the unique environmental, cultural and archaeological aspects on the area which encompasses a portion of the Greater Paskapoo Slopes.

At the conclusion of the question and answer session, Ken Wilson, a senior executive with Dundee, addressed the audience. He stated that on behalf of Dundee he recognized the concerns Valley Ridge residents expressed at the meeting with regards to the Chapel Grove proposal. He committed that Dundee will amend the Chapel Grove proposal and present the amended proposal to the City for their review and consideration. Dundee will then present it to the VRCA Board and Planning Committee followed by another community open house. There were no details provided by Mr. Wilson as to the size and scope of the amended proposal or whether a "big box" outlet such as Costco will still be included within the new plan.

At the meeting there was no indication given by Dundee as to the expected timing for the amended proposal. However, the original Chapel Grove land use and development application is still before the City of Calgary. Once Dundee amends the application, and pending further review by the City’s administration, if it goes forward, it will be the subject of a public hearing at City Council. Three to four weeks before the public hearing, formal notification of Dundee’s land use amendment application will appear in both local newspapers. The timing of the City Council hearing is dependent upon several factors, but is still expected to take place this fall.

In a separate, but related, initiative the City of Calgary & Alberta Infrastructure are cost-sharing a Functional Planning Study of the Trans Canada Highway. This study is now in progress and the completion date is targeted for the third quarter of 2001. The purpose of this study is to assess future traffic flows and long term transportation requirements; and to propose alternate roadway and interchange scenarios for the Trans Canada Highway. The City has contracted Maxim, Morrison, Hershfield, another transportation consulting firm, to conduct the functional planning study. The first of two open houses was held on January 20, and the City of Calgary Transportation Department now advises the second open house has been tentatively rescheduled for Saturday, June 9. Details confirming the date, time and location will be published in both local newspapers in advance of the open house. The City advises that draft schematics and configurations of the long-term plans for the TCH will be available for review at the June 9 open house. Results of the Functional Planning Study will be used as critical input by the City in the final decision-making process regarding Dundee’s Chapel Grove development proposal.

Please visit the planning and development link at the Valley Ridge website for more information:

We have recently posted a number of prior Valley Breeze articles, letters and community updates relating to Chapel Grove and other planning initiatives impacting Valley Ridge. In the near future, we intend to post additional information including maps, photos and schematics of various planning initiatives now underway.

Please contact either:

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if you have further questions or concerns regarding Chapel Grove or any other planning issue.