Frustrated residents gather to share concerns about social disorder at northeast outdoor mall

It's a seemingly ordinary outdoor mall in a suburban neighbourhood in northeast Calgary.

Savanna Bazaar, a shopping plaza in Saddle Ridge modelled on Asian and Middle Eastern markets, has a number of social spaces and businesses that offer international products.

But at night, the parking lot becomes a social hub marred by problematic behaviour — vehicle stunting, speeding, fireworks and, in some cases, harassment, according to Coun. Raj Dhaliwal.

The Ward 5 councillor said he's had complaints about the area since he was elected in 2021, but the bad behaviour began to escalate during Diwali in 2023, which was in November that year.

"What I heard was people were openly celebrating, [there was] intoxication, drifting of vehicles, speeding, social disorder, that kind of stuff," Dhaliwal said.

"It attracted that kind of crowd after that and it started getting bigger in a way, crowds were getting bigger and then with that, also social disorder."

That behaviour deters people from going to the plaza to shop, and also causes problems for those who live in the community. Noise issues are frequently brought up, as are safety concerns regarding people driving recklessly.

Roughly 100 residents and business owners gathered at Savanna Bazaar on Thursday night for an emotion-fuelled community safety forum — a co-ordinated effort involving Dhaliwal, the Calgary Police Service and the management of the plaza.

Many shared their frustrations with the impacts of the social disorder on their sense of safety, their sleep and their businesses, and asked Dhaliwal and CPS to do more to stop the problematic behaviour.

Nearby resident Amrinder Bath, who's lived in the Savanna neighbourhood with his family since 2017, said all he wants is for his two young daughters to feel safe.

"We totally avoid this plaza. Like we don't even want to come here unless we really have to," said Bath.

"You can hear them at nighttime, it will wake you up … We've seen them drinking inside the car and creating total nuisance in the neighbourhood. People are just sick and tired of this happening."

So far, speed bumps and structural deterrents to prevent speeding have been implemented.

District 5 Sgt. Ahmed Shahein said CPS has been responding to many calls about the plaza and will continue to enforce the area, but it comes with challenges.

"Often when we show up, people stop the behaviour that we were called for in the first place. So it's been a very slow process," said Shahein.

He said police have plans to tackle the problem and make more changes, but that will be dependent on the city's budget.

Shahein's main message for residents with concerns is to be patient — and keep calling police.

"I really hope that it was conveyed to them that we are taking this very seriously. We're working with multiple groups, multiple agencies to try to resolve this issue."

One business owner said the physical changes that have been made are already making a difference.

"They were racing around, you know, burning out their cars. It was too noisy sometimes," said Balwinder Singh, owner of the Chai Bar at Savanna Bazaar.

"But now it's kind of become better."

Despite that, Singh says his business wasn't impacted significantly before, adding that sales and traffic numbers are similar now to how they were prior to when the infrastructure was implemented.

Meanwhile, Bath said the public engagement is a good sign, and he's optimistic positive changes will be made in the plaza.

He said he'd like to see increased law enforcement in the area, especially with unmarked vehicles, speed traps along the streets leading into and out of the plaza, and violations issued for dangerous driving.

For Dhaliwal, it was important to hear residents' concerns to better understand how to move forward. 

He said he hopes potential bylaw amendments aimed at noisy vehicles — which were unanimously endorsed by committee and now have to be approved by council — will make a difference.

But he warns more changes will take time.

"Maybe a month, two months, six months, a year — but at least the conversation has started."