Calgary Minute: Downtown Paradox, Stampede Progress, and Alcohol In Parks Pilot

Calgary Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Calgary politics

This Week In Calgary:

• There will be a Combined Council Meeting today at 9:30 am to debate the Guidebook, municipal referenda, a budget update, an independent assessment of the City's whistle-blower program, pet ownership, and more.
  
  
• On Wednesday, there will be a meeting of the Standing Policy Committee on Planning and Urban Development at 9:30 am, while on Thursday at 1:00 pm there will be a meeting of the Calgary Planning Commission.
  
  
• The Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference is also happening this week. This is the annual meeting where City of Calgary Councillors and staff go to learn even more imaginative ways to spend our taxpayer money. At least this year we don't have to pay for their travel and expenses, as the conference is - of course - being held virtually.

Last Week In Calgary:

• Stampede is a go for 2021, but with significant changes. The Midway will only have some of their rides and there will be no Chuckwagon races, for starters, but organizers are hopeful they can make it work. 
  
  
• The same people that over-taxed Calgary’s downtown and helped the vacancy rate skyrocketing, now have a plan to fix it by spending $1 billion over 10 years on everything from more cycling infrastructure to better green space connections. Maybe, for once, we could try leaving business decisions to businesses, rather than politicians and bureaucrats?
  
  
• Starting tomorrow, you can drink in Calgary’s public parks, kind of. The City have approved 30 sites (that’s 30 picnic tables, not 30 parks), you’re only allowed to consume alcohol while sitting at the table, there are limited hours and a two-hour maximum, and you have to book the table at least five days in advance. What a waste of time.

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