Getting Down to Brass Tacks
Over the last two years there has been a lot of concern about the Quality Inn – Development Application on Edmonton Trail.
I want to be clear:
I am NOT now, nor have I ever have been, in support of this Development Application.
In May of 2014, after meeting with the applicants, I was advised that my opposition to the proposal would bias the Development Permit application process and provide the applicants significant grounds of appeal if the application was denied. However, this did not stop me from working closely with Community and Business Associations to ensure stakeholders had enough information to properly evaluate this project. These efforts helped highlight the fact that different homeless serving agencies possess different levels of service and capabilities to successfully implement such an ambitious endeavour.
I wholeheartedly believe in ending homelessness in our great city. I fully support agencies like the Calgary Homeless Foundation and Keys to Recovery who utilize research based best practices*.
This is not NYMBY’ism:
The community’s united opposition of this project is NOT about NYMBY’ism. It is about whether an agency is willing to do what is needed to ensure the users, and the surrounding community, are fully supported.
Throughout this lengthy process I have witnessed our community go above and beyond what was required of them. I watched our community be overly accommodating and willing to try to find the best use of this site. However, at every turn, the community was met with ambiguity and empty rhetoric.
Bottom Line:
I believe you, as residents of Ward 4, will be impacted by this Quality Inn Development application and deserve more respect and consideration.
I will continue to stand up against this application and make sure your concerns are heard by City Council and the Legislature of Alberta. We deserve a better solution. So, I will continue to engage with residents and support community proposed alternatives such as affordable senior housing projects.
*www.calgaryhomeless.com
