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The City of Calgary is soliciting public feedback that will shape the future of 33 and 34 Avenues SW. As part of the City's Main Streets initiative, launched in 2014, the Marda Loop area has been identified as one of 24 main street areas targeted for strategic growth and municipal investments. That means big changes are coming to the neighbourhood, including a new streetscape master plan that aims to enhance mobility, local infrastructure, and the public realm.
The subject area captures 33 and 34 Avenues SW from Crowchild Trail to 14 Street SW. Under the Main Streets initiative, a detailed streetscape plan will become the blueprint to a rebuild of the corridor, with special focus on street landscaping and furniture, crosswalks, laneway and park connectivity, street lighting and pedestrian safety features.
The streetscape plan is one of two projects being launched in the area through the Main Streets initiative. A comprehensive new land use framework, including land use redesignations and amendments to local area plans for Marda Loop, Richmond and South Calgary/Altadore, will help guide the future development of the neighbourhood. These policy and land use improvements, the City says, will encourage a vibrant public realm, a greater variety of retail and small businesses, and increase local services and housing options.
Preliminary questions relate to the type of residential and commercial developments to be permitted, and how they transition from main streets to local roads. Finding the most appropriate locations for retail along the main street, and determining just how much of 33 and 34 Avenues SW should be considered for revitalization, will also be topics of discussion during public engagements beginning in April. The project team first introduced the land use framework initiative on February 26.
The City is currently collecting public input in an online engagement until March 13. The tool allows participants to rank the streetscape features they feel are the most and least important for Marda Loop. Following further engagement sessions, the City anticipates the development of a final streetscape design by fall 2018.
More information about the project can be found here.
