How can we provide public services and spaces that help communities thrive?

A thriving community is built on accessible, modern, and welcoming public spaces. My plan for Ward 7 ensures our inner-city recreation centres and pools are upgraded and maintained as safe, accessible, and energy-efficient hubs for all. I am committed to removing financial barriers by expanding free and low-cost programming, because cost should never be an obstacle to fitness and leisure. Furthermore, I will protect our public assets from being sold off; instead reimagining underused spaces into new parks and green areas for community use. Finally, we will empower residents through community-led placemaking and ensure our parks and facilities are well-connected and accessible to every member of the community.

Upgrade & Modernize Existing Recreation Facilities

GOALS:

Ensure aging inner-city recreation centres and pools remain safe, accessible, and well-maintained to prevent further loss of limited infrastructure

HOW WE GET THERE:

Support the implementation of the Cities “GamePlan” guiding document, especially at budget decision time
Accelerate the deferred maintenance of remaining inner-city facilities such as Shouldice and Foothills pools.
Ensure accessibility is prioritized when renovations are selected
Increase energy efficiency through the installation of solar panels, improved lighting, etc.
Identify if/where expansion of facilities is feasible and desirable
Prioritize our wheeling/5A network expansion connecting to these community facilities

Expand Free & Low-Cost Recreation Access

GOALS:

Reducing financial barriers to fitness and leisure activities

HOW WE GET THERE:

Continue to support and expand the Fare Entry program to allow more people to access services at no or low cost.
Advocate to the province to create a long-term commitment and funding structure for the Fare Entry program
Continue to provide discounts for students and seniors
Identify city partners that could run programming at reduced costs through partnerships (ie Youth en Route)
Identify corporate sponsors to expand the free swim and skate opportunities as funded through corporate donations
Removing reference to fare/user-fee recovery targets and viewing recreation as a tax-subsidized service instead of using a cost recovery model of sorts.

Improving Recreation Access and Green Spaces

GOALS:

To protect and improve usage of existing parks, recreation centers, and greenspaces
Prevent the sell-off of our public assets such as parks

HOW WE GET THERE:

Identify surplus surface parking lots downtown with an eye to create greenspaces and parklets
Work with Calgary Board of Education to explore the option of utilizing school gymnasiums for recreation programming
Requiring the inclusion of flex spaces that would allow for recreation activities into any new community association builds that are multi-use in nature
Expand the presence of outdoor fire/barbecue pits in parks
Require a review of the corporate naming rights agreement structure to clearly lay out what corporate sponsorship of park spaces allows the sponsor to do, and how it is balanced with community needs and engagement
Require all new apartment-style builds to include public amenity space in addition to the required private amenity spaces

Connecting parks and recreation spaces

GOALS:

To make it easier and safer to access parks and recreation spaces in Ward 7

HOW WE GET THERE:

Prioritize filling in missing links in the pathways and 5A network that connect to recreation facilities and parks/green spaces
Ensure all parks and recreation facilities are accessible to all by incorporating ramps, tactile feedback components, and accessible public washrooms
Reimagining the community hub to include multiple uses and protecting park services and infrastructure

Community-led placemaking

GOALS:

Provide opportunities for community-led neighbourhood improvement
Reduce impediments to community-driven placemaking initiatives

HOW WE GET THERE:

Increase funding to the Ward Community Event Fund to help community associations cover increasing costs associated with delivery of events
Increase support for placemaking grants, such as ActivateYYC, with a focus on less city involvement and increased community agency
Conduct a small trial of participatory budgeting with a willing community association, where citizens can help to allocate public space capital investments in their neighbourhood - building off of examples in other cities (ie Montreal) and Calgary’s previous city-wide budgeting efforts
Work with roads and community to develop a pilot for allowing the painting of crosswalks

Keeping public spaces public

GOALS:

Prevent the sell-off of public spaces and the use of public funds for corporate profit
Ensuring community-scale facilities that serve neighbourhoods

HOW WE GET THERE:

Prevent the implementation of Public-Private-Partnerships (P3) projects within our parks networks
Establish clear limits on corporate sponsorships, ensuring that any branding or naming rights in parks do not compromise public access or the character of the space.
Prioritize the city-run model for city facilities, as opposed to civic partner led, where possible, to ensure equitable access and fair wages and working conditions for employees

How can we provide public services and spaces that help communities thrive?

Upgrade & Modernize Existing Recreation Facilities

Expand Free & Low-Cost Recreation Access

Improving Recreation Access and Green Spaces

Connecting parks and recreation spaces

Community-led placemaking

Keeping public spaces public

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