Calgary Minute: Title Change, Mandatory Training, and a Major Residential Development

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

This Week In Calgary:

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council meeting. The City Manager will formally request that Council change his title from City Manager to Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). The title change does not come with an increase in salary. Council will also look at the city’s parking policies. Administration is recommending that on-street parking rates be reviewed and adjusted quarterly, that promotional pricing be used to manage temporary demand fluctuations, and that pricing area boundaries be adjusted, among other things.
  
  
• The Infrastructure and Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Later in the day, at 1:00 pm, the Calgary Planning Commission will meet. No agenda is available for either meeting yet.

Last Week In Calgary:

• The City released a public notice that it intends to sell a 5.5-acre green space near Glenmore Landing for a major residential development. The land has been owned by the city since the 1980s, but it was declared surplus several years ago. The proposed development includes six residential towers, ranging from 20 to 25 stories, with commercial and mixed-use space, designed to be transit-oriented and close to Calgary Transit's MAX Yellow Line. Some members of the community are opposed to the plan, arguing that the land was meant to be used for parks according to a previous agreement with the shopping complex owner. Feedback can be provided online until October 23rd - just use the development map, then click on "Details" and then "Share Your Comments".
  
  
• The Executive Committee unanimously voted for mandatory annual anti-racism training for all City Councillors. The training sessions, part of a five-year strategy to combat systemic racism, will be facilitated by the City's ethics advisor and the Integrity and Ethics Office. The City has also introduced an internal app, Name Drop, to help employees correctly pronounce colleagues' names. City staff can use the app to add a clickable link to their email signature which opens up a recording of their name. If Council as a whole gives approval, the training will be made part of the Code of Conduct Bylaw. Remember this next time Council says they have to raise your taxes because there's no wasteful spending at City Hall!
  
  
• A new park has opened in downtown Calgary, next to Enoch Park at 12 Avenue and Macleod Trail SE. Developed by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Pixel Park offers an off-leash dog park, pickleball courts, and a skate park. In partnership with Tesla Motors Canada, it also provides 24 electric vehicle chargers, including downtown Calgary's first Level III supercharging stations compatible with both NACS and CCS electric vehicles. Pixel Park is accessible seven days a week, year-round, with staff present on-site for three days.

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