Information | Rezoning for Housing

Public hearing on April 22, 2024. Proposed rezoning will support more housing options in all communities.

Learn more

Ward 1 - Sonya Sharp

Summer 2022 newsletter

In this issue: Pathway closure update, road construction projects, and engagement opportunities at The City

Subscribe to this newsletter via email

Hi Ward 1! 

I hope you've been having a great summer. One of my highlights has been having a chance to connect with many of you at events in our community like the Tour de Bowness, the opening of the new west Calgary Farmers Market location, and a number of Stampede breakfasts. 

It's been a pleasure to meet so many people and to hear more about your priorities and concerns. A special thanks to the many members of our community who make events like these possible. 

This newsletter has some important updates on projects in Ward 1 and across the city. I'm looking forward to resuming our regular monthly publication schedule in September. 

As always, if you have concerns or if there is something you would like featured in this newsletter, get in touch! 

—Sonya Sharp

Councillor Sharp at Stampede

Community updates

Map of pathway closure

Valley Ridge pathway closure

Due to spring flooding, the multi-use pathway connecting Valley Ridge to Bowness Park under Stoney Trail is currently closed. Unfortunately, there is currently no timeline for the repair of this vital link. 

As this pathway is within the boundaries of the Stoney Trail construction project, repair is out of The City's control and is solely the responsibility of the Government of Alberta. Councillor Sharp has impressed the importance of this path for residents of Valley Ridge to her provincial counterparts. We encourage any residents with concerns about this closure to contact their MLA or the Project Coordinator with Alberta Transportation directly. 

We hope to see this issue resolved soon. 

Waste & Recycling Services coming to Lynx Ridge

Green, Blue and Black Carts are coming to Lynx Ridge this September!

Since the community's annexation into Calgary, Lynx Ridge has received private, contracted waste collection. We're pleased that the community's residents will now enjoy the same service available to Calgarians across the city. 

All residents should now have a received a letter detailing the new service, and carts should be arriving over the coming weeks. 

Blue and Green Cart collection begins Tuesday, September 6.

The first day of Black Cart collection will be Wednesday, September 14. ​

Black cart

Reminder: Community Cleanups

There's still a chance to save a trip to the landfill and dispose of household items at a Community Cleanup event this fall. The Silver Springs Community Cleanup will be held on September 18 from 9 am to 2 pm at the Silver Springs Community Association. More details on the Community Cleanup program are on Calgary.ca. 

Silver Springs mobility lane illustration

Silver Springs Neighbourhood Streets pilot project update

The City has extended the Neighbourhood Streets pilot project along Silver Springs Blvd NW into 2023 to further evaluate its performance and to implement several additional changes. 

  • The existing wheeling lane (bike lane) installed as part of the pilot is being extended between Silvergrove Dr and Nose Hill Dr using a new type of barrier
  • Additional traffic calming improvements including new medians, curb extensions, and pedestrian ramps in several locations. 

Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2022. The City will continue to evaluate the project through 2023, with final decisions being made at that time. Councillor Sharp appreciates all the feedback she has received on the project so far.

We will continue to offer further updates as work on and the evaluation of this project progress. 

John Laurie Blvd proposed changes

John Laurie Blvd open houses

The City of Calgary is implementing a number of traffic control changes to improve safety along John Laurie Blvd NW, with construction expected to begin this month. 

The City is hosting two information sessions on this project that may be of interest to Ward 1 residents: 

  • Monday, August 22, 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Brentwood Community Association (1520B Northmount Dr NW)
  • Tuesday, August 23, 7 pm to 8:30 pm at the Triwood Community Association (2244 Chicoutimi Dr NW)

Further details on this project are available on Calgary.ca.

Updates on City services

East Village Safety Hub

A new space for multi-agency collaboration recently opened in the East Village to improve safety and community services for the east side of Downtown. 

Like the Stephen Avenue Safety Hub, this new space will provide a place for the Calgary Police Service, Alpha House's DOAP team, and other agencies to collaborate. It will offer these agencies a 24-hour physical presence in the East Village over the course of the three-year pilot project. 

The new location will not be open to the public for police reports, which can continue to be made at police district offices or by calling the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.

The safety of downtown affects the safety and vitality of our entire city. This is a great step to make Downtown more welcoming and connect vulnerable Calgarians with the supports they need.

Recruitment for City boards, commissions, and committees

The City's annual recruitment campaign for citizen positions on various boards, commissions and committees (BCCs) runs from now until September 12. 

BCCs provide City Council with perspective and recommendations on important civic issues. This is a rewarding opportunity to participate in the municipal decision making process.

Applications are welcome from any Calgarian at least 18 years of age. Members will be selected on October 25. More details are available at Calgary.ca/boards.  

The City is also recruiting members for the Housing and Affordability Task Force. The term for this task force will be from September 2022 through March 2023. Applications close August 30. Details at engage.calgary.ca/HATaskForce.

Mowing/lawn maintenance

Our office has heard concerns from a number of constituents on lawn mowing and maintenance on City property this spring and summer. Councillor Sharp took these concerns seriously, and raised the issue at the July 5 meeting of Council. 

Heavy rain this spring delayed mowing in many parts of the city. Equipment like ride-on mowers are unable to operate on wet ground, and water-saturated dirt also presents a hazard. Mowing in parks was further affected by supply chain issues to maintain mowing equipment. 

We will continue to monitor the situation now that weather conditions have improved. 

Large City lawnmower

Updates in brief

  • Calgary Transit continues to offer discounted youth and adult Transit passes for the month of September. Passes are $56, and available in all the places that passes are usually sold. 
  • The City offers a number of opportunities for public engagement throughout the year on engage.calgary.ca. Current opportunities include the Vendors in Parks program and the Future of Stephen Avenue. Have your say!
  • Following a recent security incident at the Calgary Municipal Building, City services counters for Planning & Development, City Cashiers and Tax, and Fair Entry have been temporarily relocated. Details on the temporary locations are available here.
  • The City of Calgary is making upgrades to the +15 network to improve accessibility this summer and fall. There may be temporary closures between some buildings while this work is carried out.

News from City Council

Council is currently in summer recess, with meetings resuming in September. It's sure to be a busy fall as Council deliberates on the 2023-2026 Service Plans and Budget. Over a week in November, Council will debate priorities, levels of service, and taxes for the next four years. Councillor Sharp's priority will be to ensure we have smart spending by The City, and to deliver reasonable and predictable taxes for Calgarians over this budget cylce. 

We'll keep you updated in this newsletter as preparations for the budget continue. 

Council chamber

Highlights from the spring and summer: 

  • Council approved the new Citywide Growth Strategy. Councillor Sharp believes we need a mix of redevelopment and new community growth to satisfy the demands of the market and the housing affordability needs of Calgarians. The plan has approved the future development of several new neighbourhoods for Calgary that incorporate sustainability and a greater variety of housing options than in many older communities. 
  • Councillor Sharp voted against the Calgary Climate Strategy. Councillor Sharp supports action on climate change. It's important in its own right, and to ensure Calgary remains competitive. But this strategy was short on details including costs and a plan for implementation.

    Councillor Sharp hopes that answers to many of the outstanding questions from the strategy are brought forward this fall. It will still be up to Council to consider individual climate projects on their merits as they come forward. 
  • The City's Green Line board has approved two consortiums to proceed to the request for proposal and development stage of the project. It's good news to see this important milestone met. Councillor Sharp will be watching closely to ensure we see the transparency and responsibility that Calgarians expect from a project of this significance. 

Summer photos

Contact the Ward 1 Office

Telephone: 403-268-2430

Address: Councillor Sonya Sharp

Office of the Councillors, MC 8001

The City of Calgary

PO Box 2100 Stn M 

Calgary AB  T2P 2M5   

Facebook: sonyasharpyyc

Twitter: sonyasharpyyc

Instagram: sonyasharpyyc

Linkedin: sonyasharpyyc

Categories: General, Newsletter

undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null