On March 3, Tom Howard and I made the courageous journey all the way from the East Village, across the vast plains, and out to Fort Calgary to party with some planners. The event, put on by the Alberta Association of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the City of Calgary, was orchestrated for planners to show what had been learned through the new processes of public consultation used to create the Brentwood TOD. While there are those in the community that would argue the City did not go far enough to listen to all possible perspectives, what was apparent to my fresh eyes was that not only did the City take a serious approach to public consultation, but they are actively seeking to make the process more efficient and effective for all stakeholders.

Paul Donker took the lead and outlined the main objectives in designing a TOD, while making sure to point out the reciprocal relationship between land use and transportation planning, the very relationship underlying the new Plan It Calgary long-term planning document. Craig Davies, head planner for the Anderson LRT station plan, stepped up next to illustrate how the planners and consultants worked together to push for public input, the increased scope of which required pushing back the date the plan would be presented to city council. Finally, Ryan Hall (one of the senior TOD planners) summed up the major learning points for all planners involved in the process and the necessary skills utilized in the new development, as well as outlining the specific challenges inherent to the “Calgary context.”

What was most intriguing about the event was hearing about the difficulties experienced by the planning department in getting a new, progressive plan approved without frightening the more skittish segments of the citizenry. One of the more highly publicized roadblocks (citizen opposition to the Brentwood TOD due to a perceived lack of consultation) ended up working to the plan’s advantage, as the media attention allowed planners to voice their support for a new type of development. Hall also outlined ways to improve the public consultation process for the next round of TOD plans worked on by the city, notably in that the three-dimensional CGI models of the area served to frighten uncertain members of the public rather than endear the plan to them. More intensive public consultation in the “town hall” style of meeting would be conducted to head off any perceptions that the city was dictating policy and developments to its citizenry instead of engaging in an active dialogue.

While a more cynical man than I would have walked away from the fort believing that proposed plans would always be irrationally opposed based on the mere principle of maintaining the status quo (despite all indications that change is constant and universal), I retain some foolish measure of hope. Watching those responsible for the planning of the city collectively examine what they have continued to learn paints a more optimistic picture of the future, one where the disparate wishes of the city government and the public can be aligned for the best interests of everyone. Perhaps with increased levels of public consultation, the more vocal opponents of these progressive developments will be unable to fall back on their strategy of decrying the process as being undemocratic.

-Derek Pomreinke
VP Communications