Renfrew residents rallying against proposed former church site rezoning – Calgary | 24CA News
It’s a nook lot that was house to a neighborhood church on a residential road within the northeast neighborhood of Renfrew, and its future has turn into a rallying level for individuals who dwell within the space.
A rezoning software for the property, on the intersection of Radnor Avenue and Remington Road N.E., has been submitted to the City of Calgary by Keystone Architecture.
According to residents within the space, the rezoning is to make means for a six-storey, 60-unit multi-residential constructing on the positioning.
“It’s a big mistake,” Chris Nannarone, who lives throughout the road from the positioning, instructed Global News.
“They’re going from residential bungalows to a six-storey block.”
A gaggle of neighbours have now come collectively to boost issues in regards to the rezoning software.
They’ve circled a petition and are fundraising to make sure they’ve professional assist as the applying makes its approach to metropolis corridor.
Gord Strasdin, who lives down the road from the positioning, says it feels the transition to a six-storey constructing on the property is an excessive amount of for the neighborhood, and would like the developer discover extra ‘missing middle‘ type developments like row-houses or townhomes.
“We understand that development has to be done. We understand that there’s going to be densification in our neighbourhood,” Strasdin stated.
“We just think that we should stick to what’s transitional and respectful and contextually sensitive.”
The neighbours instructed Global News there are a number of issues with what could possibly be allowed on the positioning if the rezoning software is accepted.
Those issues embrace the dimensions of a possible construct and its affect on the quiet neighbourhood road.
Galina Ursu has three children that stroll to highschool within the space and stated she is anxious with visitors security.
“This is a very family friendly area and we’d like to see it like this in the future as well,” she stated.
However, the realm councillor feels the land is appropriate for a better density construct, and stated it meets the planning pointers within the North Hill Communities Local Area Plan.
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Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra stated as a result of the positioning is situated close to two faculties, a playground and enormous fields, it is sensible so as to add density within the space.
“Is it possible to put a six-storey building on this site that enhances, rather than detracts from the neighbourhood? Absolutely,” Carra instructed Global News. “Is this project going to do that? We have no idea and that’s what we have to focus on.”
The property was house to the Renfrew United Church for a few years earlier than the constructing fell into “serious disrepair,” in response to a submit on the United Church’s Chinook Winds Region web site.
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The vacant constructing was taken down this previous fall after a number of incidents of vandalism and break-ins, however the property remains to be owned by the United Church of Canada.
Carra stated he shares in “the outrage of the neighbourhood” about the way forward for the positioning as a result of he’d wish to see a profit return to the neighborhood, much like the redevelopment of a former church in Ogden that features a daycare, a espresso store, and neighborhood house inside.
“All these things have to be thoughtfully determined. Both in terms of the form of the building, but when you’re talking about a piece of church-owned land, it’s also about the programmatic approach to how are we serving the community,” Carra stated.
“There is an obligation there.”
In an e mail to Global News, a consultant of the United Church stated it’s nonetheless very early within the course of and no choices have been made to find out what might be constructed on the land if the rezoning is accepted.
“We have to rezone in this way because the current church usage was no longer sustainable and we need to do something to steward the land asset properly into the future,” Joel Den Haan, the coordinating advisor for The United Church’s Property and New Church Development Council, stated.
“We are intending at this point to retain some church functionality on the site, but it needs to take a new form and needs to be economically viable for us.”
Den Haan stated choices round a construct would come in the course of the improvement allow stage, and the rezoning software is to set a coverage envelope “into which a possible project will take shape.”
But Strasdin stated there’s broad opposition all through the neighborhood for a big improvement on the positioning, and the neighbours will proceed to work to discover a resolution.
“We think we’re quite in line with what the city says they want to do,” Strasdin stated. “But we’re a little confused that we keep getting this blunt, big instrument thrown at us.”
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
