'Save the Slopes' continues to fight Paskapoo development
Revised development calls for homes, businesses with protected parkland near Canada Olympic Park
Plans to develop the Paskapoo Slopes near Canada Olympic Park met with opposition at a public information session last night despite the developer's changes to the project.
"We don't have problems with development but we don't think it's appropriate for every area in the city," said Ken Bilous, a nearby resident, who started the "Save the Slopes" petition.
The developer, Trinity Hills, has altered its plan to address public concerns over increased traffic and the aesthetics of the project near Canada OIympic Park.
The revised proposal has one third of the lowest portion of the area slated for homes and businesses, and the remaining 160 acres to become protected parkland.
"We really have reduced the development footprint and we removed some of the highest quality environmental lands that were included in our original footprint, taken them out," said Greg Brown, who works with Trinity Hills.
But the changes are not enough to persuade many people in the area, who would rather see the entire space left alone, according to Bilous.
"We've got a lot of support. We've got over 7,500 people that have signed our petition by now, so there are a lot of people against this," he said.
There will be one more opportunity for public input when the project is on the agenda at Calgary City Council July 20. City Council will then decide what happens with the plan.
The stakes for the area and the city are high according to Bilous.
"One of Calgary's strongest assets is our green space and this is such a unique area that it counts as such an asset," he said.
"It's a well-used area. There's not a day that goes by that people aren't parked at the bottom, people using that area, so it'd be a real shame to see it go."